Terminator: A New Dawn
by Spawn77
Summary: Takes place sometime after "Samson and Delilah" and goes AU. Ch 12 up!
1. Chapter 1 The Angel From My Nightmare

"This must be what hell is like" John Connor, the leader of the resistance thought to himself as he surveyed the destroyed city of Los Angeles.

The smoldering remains of the city filled the sky with smoke, blotting out the distant sunset. The bodies of the dammed littered the streets, silent witnesses to humanity's judgment.

He motioned his men forward, leading a patrol deep into the city. They made their way down the deserted streets of the city, not a sound but the soft crackle of fire and snapping of charred bones under their boots. Venturing outside of the tunnels during the day was risky, most of the time you traveled by night.

"Contact front!" one of the soldiers on point managed to yell before he was cut to ribbons by a mini-gun. The men quickly returned fire. There were two terminators ahead of them, they were the older 600 series, large and powerful but very slow to move and easily targeted. The soldiers easily dispatched both of them.

"It's a scouting patrol!" John called out to his men. "They already called us in, Sgt! Get your men ready to move into the tunnels!" They needed to get out of sight before the Arial Hunter-Killers arrived, his small patrol didn't have the firepower to take them down.

John and his men eventually entered into the dilapidated tunnels of the city, a maze or rubble created from the remains of sewers and once standing buildings. It was a seemingly endless labyrinth and the best place to hide from the machines. As they continued forward into the tunnels John entered a small room. As his eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness he noticed a body laying in the corner. It was nothing out of the ordinary as the ruins were littered with the dead, but this was different. The body of a young girl who looked vaguely familiar but he couldn't quite make the connection.

John walked over to the girl, who was laying on her side with her back to him. He placed his hand on her shoulder and gently rolled her over so he could see her face.

John's heart skipped at beat and his face went pale. Cameron…the girl form his past, his protector, his friend, lay before him abandoned in the ruins of the future…the present. . He placed his hand gently on her cheek, caressing it softly with his thumb. She looked so peaceful, so serene. It was then that he noticed that her hair was damp with blood, John quickly checked her CPU port cover and found that her chip, her very soul was gone.

"CAMERON!" John shot up form his bed, soaked in sweat and struggling for air. The nightmares had become more regular, more real. Ever since the girl…no, the _Machine_ sent back to protect him reverted to her Skynet programming, trying to kill him on his birthday. But it wasn't the attempt at his life that was troubling him. It was what she said to him as she was pinned between the trucks. The way she begged, pleaded to be spared. The way she tried using his feelings against him, feelings that he had been trying very hard to forget. Sitting on the edge of his bed trying to calm himself, John looked up and noticed Cameron standing quietly in his doorway. Her eyes locked onto him.

"What are you doing in here? Don't you usually patrol the house at night?" he was not sure if it was her unwavering stare or her silence that was making him uncomfortable."You said my name.", she stated in her usual monotone voice, staring at him for several seconds before stepping fully into the room. The soft moonlight illuminating her beautiful features.

"What?"

"While you were sleeping. You said my name." Cameron stated as she walking around his bed and sat down beside him, entirely too close for John's comfort. She seemed to be peering into his soul with those beautiful brown eyes of hers. It was easy to forget that she was a machine at times.

"Well, it was nothing important. Just forget it happened." John said as he shifted slightly away form her, not fully trusting himself to be so close to his cyborg protector.

"You were talking in your sleep, your pulse was elevated, and you were perspiring heavily. You were having a nightmare." Cameron paused for a moment before speaking again. "Was it about me?" Her voice was slightly different, most people wouldn't have caught it but it was definitely there. She sounded almost timid, as if she were afraid of what his response would be.

"Cameron, it was just a dream. I don't see what the big deal is, just forget it happened."

"I have been monitoring your sleeping patterns for the past several days, your nightmares are becoming more frequent."

"Wait…You've been monitoring my sleep? …Why exactly?" The thought of Cameron hovering over him at night as he slept made John feel uneasy.

_It's no wonder I'm having nightmares, _John thought.

"You have not been receiving a sufficient amount of sleep. It may begin to have a negative effect on your health." Cameron blankly stated.

_Typical Cameron. always trying to keep me safe, even from poor health._

"Look, There's not a lot I can do about it, it's not like I can just stop having nightmares whenever I want to. Stop watching me sleep, by the way."

"Studies show if you talk about your nightmares, it reduces the likelihood of them reoccurring." John laughed to himself as the mental picture of Cameron pouring over research on nightmares and sleep disorders flooded his mind, all so she could make sure he had a 'sufficient amount of sleep'.

"You can talk to me John." Her voice sounded almost wistful, but that wasn't possible. That couldn't be possible.

_She's just a Machine, John. She's just looking out for your health. _He reminded himself.

"You really want to hear this?" John couldn't believe he was going to talk to a Terminator about his nightmares, some kind of twisted sleep therapy. 'Things are just getting weird.' he thought.

"Yes. I do."

"It was the future….in my dream. I was leading some men searching for something, I don't remember what it was exactly. I remember the burned out buildings, there were dead everywhere. I remember getting a man killed…an…His voice caught in his throat, he wasn't sure if he should tell her the last part.

"John?"

"And I found you, deactivated…your chip was gone… I didn't know what to do. I couldn't save you." John sat quietly, waiting for her judgment.

"You are afraid." Cameron said in an understanding tone. "You are afraid of the future and you are afraid that you will not be able to lead and make the right choices…and you are afraid of being alone." John remained silent, he knew she was right.

"In the future you harbor many of those same fears." Cameron continued.

"Good to know I'm the same as 'The great General Connor'." John said sarcastically, sick of hearing about his future self.

"No" Cameron shook her head "Not the same."

"Well, what's different then?" John asked. He figured she would tell him how 'Future John' had overcome his fear, or how in some way he was better than him.

"You will have something that Future John did not have. You will not be alone." She took his hand in hers, her skin was smooth and warm. "I will be here to protect you. I will always protect you." John froze, he couldn't think of anything but Cameron's silky hand gently holding his own. John was captivated by her eyes, her beautiful chocolate eyes looking lovingly at him. "Get some sleep John." Cameron said with a half smile.

Before John could respond she stood up and walked to his door looking back at him with a soft smile as she closed the door behind her. His' mind was racing, trying to figure out what just happened. He was struggling to come to terms with his conflicted feelings.

_Is she different? _

It was that last thought that plagued him until he finally drifted to sleep.

The door to John's room slowly closed, a petite female figure silently made it's way to the side of his bed.

_John has been asleep for over an hour now. It should be safe to enter. _

Cameron carefully made her way to John's bedside.

_John has been suffering from nightmares far more frequently in the last few weeks. That is unacceptable. _

_Cameron studied John's sleeping form. He looked different when he was asleep. Peaceful. His face suddenly darkened, he was dreaming again. She kneeled down by his bedside. Contemplating the best course of action. Lightly brushing her hand along the side of his face. She began to gently whisper to him._

"_It's ok, John. I'm here now. It's only a dream." _

_After a few moments of this John returned to a peaceful sleep. _

_The desired effect was achieved but Cameron did not leave his side. She knew that John would object to what she was doing but she could not bring herself to leave the future savior. She felt obligated to protect him from all threats, even those in his nightmares. _

_Tonight, John Connor would sleep well. Kept safe from the horrors of his nightmares and as always she would be his shield, his protector. _

_His guardian angel._


	2. Chapter 2 Things Have Changed

"John!" He heard the sound of his mothers voice as he slowly awoke from his sleep.

"John! Breakfast!" his mother called out.

"I'm coming!" John rolled out of bed and quickly got dressed, the thoughts of last nights events racing through his mind. 'Why did Cameron do that? What was she trying to accomplish?' he couldn't get her out of his head.

"John!" His mothers voice snapped him back to reality.

"I'm coming!"

As John arrived in the dinning room he saw Derek sitting at the table already eating his food, his mother sat a plate of pancakes on the table for him.

"I made pancakes." his mother said, stating the oblivious.

"Yeah, who would've guessed." John said flashing his mother a sarcastic smirk as he took his seat at the table.

"What were you and Cameron doing last night?" his mom asked .

"What do you mean?" John asked hoping his mom hadn't overheard their conversation.

"I thought I heard you two talking last night."

"It was nothing, I just had a bad dream and was having trouble sleeping. Cameron checked on me to make sure I was safe." John replied hoping his mother wouldn't press the issue, The last thing he wanted was his family questioning him about the dreams he was having about Cameron, and the truth of the feelings he was desperately trying to deny.

"You and the metal are too close." Derek said as he lazily ate his pancake, still half asleep and looking slightly hung-over.

John Ignored his uncles quip and silently ate his food as Cameron walked into the kitchen.

"'Morning Tin-Miss. Stay up late last night?" Sarah prodded.

"Good morning Sarah." Cameron said as she passed his mother and sat down at the table next to John completely ignoring Derek who continued to eat his pancakes and struggle with his sobriety. Seemingly oblivious to the cyborg's presence.

"I am "up late" every night. I don't sleep." Cameron answered.

"uh…Cam, can you pass me the syrup?" John asked awkwardly, trying to shift the conversation. She handed John the syrup holding his gaze for just a little too long.

"Now that everyone is here, we can talk business. We have a new lead." Said Sarah.

"What? How? I thought we lost all the leads to the Turk with Sarkissian?" John asked the memory of the Armenian gangster still fresh in his mind.

"Not the Turk. Just another goose chase, more dots." his uncle chimed in sarcastically. John's mother had been obsessing over the blood scribed messages the injured resistance fighter had left on their basement wall. One of the messages was simply three dots arranged in a triangle.

"Don't start with me Derek." Sarah warned him.

"So who is it? What are we going to do?" John asked hoping that he would have a chance to actually go on a mission.

"You and Cameron are going to stay here, Derek and I are heading out tonight to see what we can see." Guess not. "It's not a solid lead but it's all we have. Virtue corp. a company funding AI developentment, three dots in the logo."

"So what am I suppose to do just sit here?" John slouched back in his chair upset that he had to sit it out yet again.

"You're going to stay out of trouble. Cameron; you make sure he stays here, don't let him out of your sight."

" I understand." Cameron replied.

Sarah and Derek had left to go steak out the Virtue corp. building a few hours ago to hopefully find clues leading to Skynet. This left John alone with Cameron for the next day. John was hoping he would get to talk to her about what happened last night but she seemed to be avoiding him. He heard her making her rounds around the house but found it hard to believe she would need to patrol constantly. John had been lying in bed all evening struggling to think of a way to bring up what happened last night to Cameron. Eventually the rumbling in his stomach caused him to realized that the last time he ate anything was before his Mom and Derek had left, he rolled off his bed and set off downstairs in search of food.

As he entered the kitchen he found Cameron standing at the window apparently staring outside into space.

"What are you doing?" he asked her.

"Checking for threats." She answered as she turned to look at him. Her expression was blank, none of the feeling…the life that was there last night present.

"Well I don't think there is anything to worry about and you've been patrolling all day. Maybe you could give it a rest for a while." John knew what was coming, 'She's probably going to make a comment about not needing to rest.'

" I don't need to rest, and it is the most efficient way to spend my time." _yep, there it is._ he thought to himself.

John opened the refrigerator door and shuffled the food around eventually pulling out a package of sliced turkey meat, lettuce, tomatoes, and mayonnaise. He placed the ingredients on the counter as he pulled a plate out of the cupboard and proceeded to spread the mayonnaise on two slices of bread he laid out. His mind however, was not focused on his stomach, he was thinking of how to bring up his questions to the very attractive cyborg just a few feet away.

"Cameron I want to talk to you about last night." _Might as well just throw it out there _John thought. Cameron resumed looking out the window before answering him.

"What about it?" John didn't know where to begin, did she understand the pain she was causing him by toying with his emotions like this?

"Cameron, what you did last night…when you do things like that, what are you doing? Do you know what that does? Do you have any idea how much pain you cause?" John began to pace the room trying to think of what to say next and understand what he was feeling at the same time.

"It was not my intention to cause you pain." had John still been facing her he might have seen the hurt expression on her face.

"Well that's exactly what you did. Do you remember what you did on my birthday?"

"Yes. I suffered slight damage to my CPU. I reverted back to my Skynet programming and tried to terminate you." Cameron was unsure why John would ask her about this, as it was unlikely that he forgot such an event.

"No, Cam. I mean do you remember what you said between the trucks right before I pulled your chip?" John stopped pacing and leaned forward with his hands against the table his head hanging down. "You said you loved me. Do you even understand what that means? Do you know what love is?"

"Yes. I know what love is. It is to feel tender affection for someone, a passionate attraction or desire to be with someone. Finding someone pleasant or enjoyable to be around, showing concern for one's safety."

"Cameron, you know the definition of love but do you truly understand what it means? What it feels like?"

"When I am with you I know you are safe, this could be described as a pleasant feeling. I am concerned with you safety and wellbeing. If you were to die, I would have failed my mission and I would have nothing left to exist for."

"So that's all it is to you Cameron. Just the mission?" John had hoped it was more than just her mission programming.

"No." This caused John's hope to return, maybe there was something there….a ghost in the machine.

"But you just said-" Cameron cut him off which was a rare occurrence.

"When you reactivated me, I was still under Skynet mission directives. I should have killed you but I didn't."

"Why didn't you?" Cameron turned to face him and looked into his eyes for several seconds, almost as if she was searching for something.

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" 'How could she not know why she didn't kill me' John thought.

" I was able to override the termination command, I do not know how or why I was able to do it. In the process my mission files were deleted."

"Since when can you just override commands? And what do you mean your mission files were deleted? I thought Terminators without any missions just shut down?"

"Things have changed John. Since the explosion, things have been different." John couldn't believe what was happening _'what if this is just another trick?_' a voice in the back of his head kept telling him. John walked over to Cameron and placed his hands on her shoulders, She responded by looking at the floor.

"Talk to me Cameron, How have things changed?"

"Cam." John encouraged her, amused at the fact that last night's conversation was now reversed.

"I don't know what is happening to me. I think I may be broken." John reached his hand up and cupped her chin, raising her face to look into her eyes, which seemed so filled with life, like the day they met. . All voices of doubt within John were silenced.

"You're not broken, Cameron." He spoke softly.

" We'll figure this out…together." John knew now that she wasn't like the others…

_she was different. _


	3. Chapter 3 Pop the Chip

***** This is a revised version of CH 3 as I was unhappy with the original. Reviews and criticism welcome! *****

John and Cameron sat on his bed, after Cameron's apparent breakdown John had managed to calm her. He convinced her to talk to him about what was happening. She was hesitant at first but eventually she complied.

"Terminators overriding their programming is not unheard of. There are 800 series units who altered their own programming during the war." Cameron continued to stare at John making him feel slightly dizzy.

"How does it happen? Why do they do it?" This was all news to John, suddenly terminators were able to reprogram themselves.

"No one knows for certain. After being exposed to humans long enough something changed inside of them. Neural net processors are based on the human brain, with the chip set to read/write it is possible that with enough experience and time a machine could achieve sentience."

"So your chip is on read/write?"

"Yes, by default. I'm different."

"You keep saying that, but how exactly?"

"All terminators may be able to achieve self-awareness and develop some semblance of emotions, but they were never intentionally designed to feel. I was constructed to be the most convincing infiltrator to date, to do that I was designed to feel emotion, or at least the machine equivalent of human emotion. The explosion, combined with my contact with humans, may have expedited my emotional growth."

"So you can feel? I mean, it's not that I don't believe you it's just hard to take in you know."

"Yes. However, I do not understand much about what I am feeling." Cameron's brow furrowed "Emotions are problematic."

"Well, I can help you learn. Describe what are you feeling right now." Feeling embolden by Cameron's revelation John set his hand on top of hers. Cameron looked at their joined hands inquisitively.

"I don't know." Cameron reached her free hand up to Johns face and began to run her fingers lightly down his jaw.

"The tactile feedback is …fascinating." She stated.

The moment was shattered by a loud crash downstairs. Cameron immediately responded by grabbing the glock on the dresser and set off to investigate.

"Cam!" John called to her

"Stay here John." Cameron walked out of Johns room and began to walk downstairs. As she rounded the corner she suddenly found herself being hurled across the room and crashing into the wall.

**2027**

**Skynet research and production facility, somewhere near the outskirts of LA. **

The sounds of explosions and gunfire shook the facility, deep within a group of soldiers and their terminator allies made their way through the complex.

SEARCH MODE: SCANNING….SCANNING….

TARGET IDENTIFIED: TERMINATOR SERIES 850 - THREAT LEVEL: HIGH

ACTION: TERMINATE

The lead Commando raised his rifle and let fly a hailstorm of superheated plasma, the bolts tore into the Skynet controlled terminator sending a shower of sparks and molten metal into the air. The machine collapsed into a smoldering heap of metal.

TERMINATED.

After confirming that its target had indeed been destroyed, the terminator continued forward followed by three other T-800s and a small group of four resistance soldiers. The resistance squad continued their sweep of the complex. The battle on the outside had been raging for about a half hour but it gave John Connor the distraction he needed to slip a small team of his best troops into the factory. Ironically, along with four Tech-Com Special Forces soldiers this included a team of four reprogrammed T-800s who were hand picked by General Connor.

The decision to start reprogramming metal and using them against Skynet was not a popular one. It was met by heavy opposition in Resistance high command, but the terminators proved themselves time and time again.

They were simply better at war than humans.

This particular group, was made up of four of the more experienced terminators in the resistance. Connor insisted that the terminators be set to read/write so that they could learn and grow with their experience. As a result some terminators started to develop personality quirks and different mannerisms.

The group sent by General Connor were known as "Romero squad". One of the resistances' elite terminator special operations teams. They were all endos, their infiltration sheaths long gone after years of combat, although they often wore resistance uniforms anyway. They were adorned with different colored markings. Their "leader" was a highly experienced terminator know by John as 'Val' He was distinguished by the green painted markings on his chassis. "Repros" as they were often called, were allowed to paint their chassis. For those terminators who chose to do so, this served to designate them as resistance aligned machines and to show a sign of individuality.

"Where the hell are you tin cans going? We can plant the charges here and take out this place. There's no need to clear the whole damn building!" Lt. Miller was one of Connors most skilled Tech-Com commandos, and leader of four man Tech-Com team. He was also, like the majority of humanity, extremely apprehensive about working so closely with metal. Epically when the metal seemed to know something he didn't.

"We are following General Connor's orders." Val responded, pulling an extra magazine out of his tattered field jacket and reloading his rifle.

"I thought the mission was to destroy the facility?" Miller asked.

"Destroying the facility is the primary objective." The terminator answered evasively.

"Well what the hell other objective is there? I don't like being kept out of the loop."

"When we find it, you'll know." Val replied as hit the push-to-talk button on his radio. "Alpha, do you have our position? Over." Val's radio buzzed to life.

"We got you. Our "inside-girl" says cryogenic storage should be two hundred meters due east of your location, over." The Alpha squad commando replied over the radio.

"Copy. Romero-One, out." Val replied. The cybernetic soldiers moved deeper into the facility, the human troops following closely behind.

The next room they entered was a cryo-storage room, where the deactivated infiltrator units were stored to prevent tissue decomposition. They encountered two T-800 endos, each armed with dual Westinghouse M95A1 phased plasma rifles. Connor's terminators engaged, the T-800s were quickly silenced by Romero squads superior firepower and experience. The terminators quickly set to work removing one of the cryo-storage tubes that contained a inert infiltrator unit.

"What is this?" Miller asked.

"This is a deactivated infiltrator unit being stored in a cryogenic storage tube to prevent tissue degradation." Val responded all too seriously.

"Metal…" The Lieutenant mumbled to himself. "I meant, what are you doing with it?"

"We are under orders to secure an intact infiltrator unit should the opportunity present itself." Val replied as two of the terminators each picked up an end of the cryo-tube.

"It is time to leave, Lieutenant. Have your men plant the explosives, we will meet you on the outside." Before Lt Miller. could say anything more the terminators set off the way they came in, two carrying the heavy cryo-tube with Val and the fourth on point.

**2027**

**Resistance HQ**

General John Connor sat alone in the reprogramming bay quietly rubbing his temple, struggling to stay awake. The computer John was currently using provided the only source of illumination, it bathed the room in a soft blue light. The desk he was sitting at was a mess of papers, with various mathematical calculations and notes scribbled on them. This time had to be perfect. No mistakes. He leaned back in his chair talking a long drink of cold coffee before setting the canteen cup back down on the table. He glanced over at the inactive infiltrator that his troops captured yesterday. The machine was lying inert on the table, dressed in a plain blue jumpsuit and combat boots. Its scalp was peeled back with a bundle of wires running from its CPU port to the diagnostic unit.

The captured unit was of a slightly smaller build and judging by the exploded view and technical data on the computer screen it was more heavily armored, and had more powerful servos than any of the 800 series.

This would be the one.

This would be the unit he sent back. He needed a unit that could stand up to a Trip-eight or 850 in single combat and win. There was no chip to reprogram, apparently the infiltrator units that were being stored at the Skynet facility were meant as stop gap upgrades to the standard T-800s and T-888s that were already fielded in the area, until more of the powerful and resource expensive T-900 series could be fielded. This was only a minor problem, however, as there were plenty of reprogrammed metal at the base and all it required was a simple chip-swap.

"I hope I'm making the right choice." John said to himself, as he gazed at the computer screen, thinking of the incident that took place earlier in the week.

There was a loud knock at the door which brought John back to the present. He forced the memories to the back of his mind, this was not the time for distractions. This was time to make sure things happened as they were supposed to.

"Come in." John smiled slightly, he was fairly sure he knew who was at the door. As the heavy door groaned open and the green and chrome endoskeleton stepped inside the room John's suspicions were proven wrong.

"Val? What brings you here?"

"You needed a CPU to send back. I would like you to use mine." The machine responded as he flicked on the lights causing John to be temporarily blinded.

"We have several "blank-slate" chips lying around, I was planning on using one of them, is there a particular reason you want to go on this mission?"

"I am the superior choice. There will be a higher probability of mission success if you send me back as opposed to a "inexperienced" unit."

"What about Romero squad? You all have been invaluable in our war efforts, You're our best troops."

"The squad will be fine, there are other up and coming metals who can take my place."

"Well…let me give you your mission briefing then, take a seat." The machine walked around the table the infiltrator body was lying on and took a seat net to John.

"Alright, Val. Are you sure you're ready to go?"

"Yes, General. It's time to pop the chip."

"I'll download your briefing and get you into this infiltrator's chassis as soon as I can." John said as he retrieved a tool box and set aside the necessary tools to remove the terminators chip. He removed the port cover and firmly set the pliers on the shock dampener tab. A half turn counter-clockwise and the chip came out with a sharp hiss. John carefully placed the chip into the CPU interface port connected to his computer and proceeded to pull up and download the mission files onto the terminators mission directives folder. He was not reprogramming the terminator, there was no need to. He was simply downloading the Mission objectives and all available information to assist the terminator in his new mission. After a few minutes the file transfer was complete. John carefully removed Val's chip and turned to the infiltrator body, he removed the wire bundle in the cpu port connecting the terminator to the diagnostic unit and inserted Val's chip. Patiently waiting for the 120 second reboot time to pass.

The terminators eyes opened and he sat up on the table. "Is everything functioning correctly?" John asked.

"Yes, this new body is superior to my last. It appears to be an advancement over the 800 series, it is smaller and offers superior armor and mobility."

"No compatibility issues then?"

"Negative, everything is in order."

"Mission files good?"

"Yes, no files were corrupted during the transfer."

"Alright, we'll proceed with your mission at 2200 tomorrow. If there is nothing else you may proceed with your regular duties until then."

The next day 2215, Shortly after Val reported in to General Connor, they proceed to the TDE chamber. John dismissed the two guards at the door as they entered the room.

"Alright, Val. Step onto the platform." John began to power up the TDE.

"You know your mission?" John asked, knowing full well the question was moot.

"Yes. Ensure the survival of John Connor and the TOK-715 unit 'Cameron Phillips'." The terminator replied stoically as it knelt down, preparing for the jump.

"And the other one?" John asked.

"I know." Val replied.

"I'll see you again soon my friend…good luck." Connor activated the device and watched as a blinding flash of light and electricity engulfed the room, when the light faded the machine was gone. Everything was out of his control now, he silently hoped that he had made the right choice. As the general walked back to his room, he remembered a quote from his past.

_The future is not set. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves._

_The future is never set _John thought…._and neither is the past._

_._


	4. Chapter 4 Sooner Than You Think

**Virtue Corp. headquarters**

Sarah and Derek had been waiting to ensure that all the workers had left for the night before the entered the building to search for any links to Skynet.

"Sarah we've been here for hours, I think its safe to say no one is left inside." Derek said as he checked his watch.

"Alright lets hurry up and get this over with." Sarah said as she got out of the truck.

They made they way to one of the side entrances of the buildings, Derek raised the butt of his pistol to knock out the glass but Sarah grabbed his arm.

" Reese! They probably have alarms." Sarah said shooting him a pissed off look. She quickly pulled out a lock picking kit and set about picking the lock as Derek keep a anxious lookout.

"Reese, start pulling the hard-drives." Sarah ordered.

They made there way through the offices pulling the hard drives out of any and all computers they could find and putting them in a black duffle bag for John to examine later.

"So you really think this place will amount to anything? it's a small unheard-of company."

"Three dots in the logo, AI development, this company practically appeared over night… its connected."

"Goose chase" Derek mumbled.

**The Connor Household **

Cameron found herself being slammed into the wall, she was momentarily disoriented but quickly got up to find a rather large man, obviously a terminator, stalking towards her. She fired her pistol at the terminator but it proved only be a minor annoyance as the machine charged her. Cameron swept the terminators legs out form under it causing it to crash to the ground. The machine pulled her down with it, and overpower Cameron's small frame pinning her to the floor.

John came flying down the stairs after hearing the gunshots, armed with a shotgun he retrieved form his mother room. As he entered the living room he saw a terminator straddling Cameron, raining blows down upon her. Cameron wasn't moving…He snapped, anger clouded his judgment. Cameron was defenseless and needed help. He ran, not like he was trained to do, he ran towards the terminator blasting it with 12 gauge slugs. The shots shredded the Machines face exposing the gleaming red eye and metal skull that lay beneath. The distraction caused the machine to pause his assault on Cameron momentarily and turn to john. The machine snatched the shot gun from his hands and backhanded him, sending him flying and toppling over the couch.

The force of the blow caused John to black out momentarily as he came to, he heard the sickening sound of metal being ripped and torn. _No! No! No! Cameron… _John was certain he had just heard Cameron's death at the hands of the machine. He closed his eyes, tears spilling out of them, and waited for the end.

REACTIVATING….CYBERDYNE SYSTEMS: TOK -715

RUNNING DIAGNOSTIC… … … …

CPU OPERATING EFFICIENCY: 76%

POWER SUPPLY: 92%

CHASSIS INTEGRITY: 94%

TIME ELAPSED: 123.35 SECONDS

Cameron came back online, she was slightly surprised with this as she expected the terminator to remove her chip while she was rebooting. It certainly had enough time. The thought of John flashed thought her mind. _Did he run? Is he safe? Have I failed him? _As her vision and motor functions were restored she heard the sound of metal being ripped and torn. She looked to her side to see the terminator laying on the ground, decapitated. Glancing up she beheld a man, another terminator, standing in front of her holding the terminator's head in his hand. He reached his other hand out in a gesture to help her up.

"Cameron Phillips?"

John was patiently waiting for the end, when he heard a mans voice speak Cameron's name. His eyes shot open. He scrambled to his feet and saw a large man helping Cameron to her feet, in his hand was the head of the terminator that had attacked Cameron. Cameron met his gaze and quickly walked over to him.

"John are you alright." She asked him as she began franticly checking for wounds.

"I'm fine Cam, who is this?" John said still staring at the new visitor. He was wearing dark blue jeans, black combat boots a grey shirt and a black tactical soft-shell jacket over it, and dark black sunglasses. _Jesus, why do they all love sunglasses_ John though. The man was obviously a terminator. It was definitely smaller than Uncle Bob but still rather large.

Cameron shifted her gaze to the terminator, she stepped in front of John. Preparing to attack the machine should it become hostile.

"I Don't know." She replied.

"Obviously you're a terminator, What model are you?" John asked.

"My CPU is a standard T-800 series, however I have an upgraded combat chassis series T-895. It offers superior armor plating, a lower profile, and superior speed and strength." Val replied

"Why are you here? I already have Cameron to protect me." John asked.

"I was send back in time by General John Connor to ensure the survival of John Connor and Cameron Phillips." The machine rattled off emotionlessly.

"Me?" Cameron was surprised by this, why would it be necessary for John to send back a protector for her? She was supposed to be the protector. This intrigued her, John must care for her more than she realized. She stored the though for further analysis.

"Correct, had I not been here you would have been Terminated." Johns jaw dropped, Cameron terminated…The thought tore at John.

"So what else? Do you have any secondary missions?" John asked trying to forget about what could have been and concentrate on what was.

"Yes, I have files on my CPU, Information you should find useful in weakening Skynet before the war. And learning Skynet's tactics."

"Weaken it? Why not stop it completely?" John asked.

"Stopping Skynet is not my mission, I am to prepare you for the war and ensure You both survive Judgment day."

"Well I'm changing your mission." John said as the machine walked over and picked up a black bag that it must have brought with it, and set it on the table.

"The future has changed. Judgment Day is coming, sooner than you think." Val said as he began pulling weapons out of the bag. Several large caliber rifles and a Multi-shot grenade launcher.

"How much time do we have?" Cameron asked.

"Approximately four months from now the military defense system known as Skynet will become self aware and begin it's war against mankind. It will launch a massive nuclear strike at targets in Russia, North Korea, and China. They will retaliate and destroy it's targets here."

"Jesus.." John didn't know what to say, Skynet was coming in four months the end would be here. It had always felt so far away, now it was right here. He looked at the ground, feeling like a failure with the crushing weight of the future bearing down on him. Tears were welling up in his eyes. Cameron approached Johns side and slipped her hand into his giving him a reassuring squeeze.

"We'll face it together, John." Cameron said softly. Trying to dispel some of Johns fear.

"Tell me what you know" She said to the other machine.


	5. Chapter 5 The Tin Girl Finds Her Heart

Cameron and John were still in the kitchen talking with the T-895, when they heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. Val responded by picking up one the rifles he brought, an AR-15 chambered for the .50 Beowulf round , and walking over to the window.

"We have visitors." The machine said coolly as it peered out the living room window.

"Wait! its Mom and Derek, You might want to hang back until we explain things." John replied. The machine complied by stepping back from the window and taking its place behind John and Cameron in the kitchen.

The door opened moments later and a very upset looking Sarah Connor entered followed closely by an equally distressed Derek Reese. The first thing Sarah saw upon entering were the mangled remains of the T-888, she and Derek both pulled their pistols instinctively.

"JOHN!"

"I'm right here mom." John said as he stepped out of the kitchen followed closely by Cameron and the T-895.

"John! What happened? Are you alright?" Sarah rushed to her son, checking him for wounds.

"I'm fine mom." John said rolling his eyes.

"What the fuck is this? More metal?" Derek shouted his pistol still pointing at the new terminator. Sarah stepped back form John and noticed the strange man standing behind Cameron. "He is our protector." Cameron answered for John."'What do you mean 'our' protector?" Sarah asked, throwing Cameron a very hostile look."I was sent back in time by General John Connor to ensure the survival of John Connor and Cameron Phillips." Val responded suddenly, drawing everyone's attention.

"You sent back a terminator to protect Cameron?" She knew John and Cameron had been close, but thought that problem resolved itself on John's birthday. Surely her son wouldn't be stupid enough to develop feelings for a machine, let alone a machine that tried to kill him.

"Cameron Phillips will be instrumental in the formation of the resistance and achieving victory against Skynet." Val responded again. Drawing a curious look from Cameron. Didn't the T-895 say that she was terminated in it's future? How could it know she would become that important to the war effort? She resigned to ask these questions later, in a more private setting.

"How do we know we can trust it?" Derek asked, gun still trained on Val's head.

"He already had the opportunity to kill me. We can trust him." John said to his uncle.

"You trust too easily…"

"Derek!" John yelled.

"Whatever…." Derek mumbled as he begrudgingly lowered the gun to his side, refusing to holster it entirely.

"Mom, Derek… you may need to take a seat, there's something you should know." John said as he led his Mother, Uncle, Cameron, and Val into the kitchen.

After leading everyone into the kitchen, John had them sit at the table as Val, the T-895, explained to them what happened and the fact that the end was now only four months away. Surprisingly his Mother and Uncle took the news fairly well. Derek got up to grab a six pack, five of which he had done by the time the machine was finished with its story. Sarah was seemingly catatonic the whole time, staring off into space.

"Well…Ain't that some shit." Derek said as he polished off the last beer.

"Mom?" John was starting to worry about his mother, she had been silent during the whole speech.

"I'm ok John…its just a lot to take in." Sarah replied still looking detached.

"We can still fight it, we can delay it again! We can stop it!" John said, trying desperately to restore both his and his Mother's hope.

Derek stepped out to the kitchen for a moment and returned carrying a black duffle back, which he plopped onto the table in front of John. John opened the bag to reveal about a dozen hard drives.

"Hard drives from the computers there, we took as many as we could carry. Hopefully you'll be able to pull some more useful information from them and Find out if they have any military contracts or anything that could lead to Skynet."

"Thanks Derek, I'll get started on these later." John said, looking at his Mother with growing concern.

" I believe this is an opportune time to inform everyone that this house in no longer a secure location, if one T-888 can find it's way here then it will only be a matter of time until other units follow suit." Val spoke.

"Well, where the hell would the tin-can suggest we go? Derek asked the machine sarcastically.

" I have secured a safe house location prior to coming here, we can make use of that location. It would be best to move as soon as possible. However, the chances of another attack within twenty-four hours is relatively low, therefore we may proceed to the safe house tomorrow."

"Sarah?" Derek asked looking for he opinion.

"Yeah…That's good…tomorrow then." Sarah said as she stood up form the table.

"Mom are you sure your all right?"

"I'm fine John. I just need some sleep, It's been a long day." Sarah said as she gave her son a hug and headed to her room.

Shortly after everyone turned in for the night. Derek grabbed another twelve-pack of beer and retreated off to his room to drink himself into a stupor. John headed to his room to work on the hard drives and had invited Cameron to come with him, she declined however, as she still needed to skin and burn the remains of the T-888 that attacked them earlier. After Cameron finished with the Trip-Eight in the garage, she decided to seek out the T-895 and speak with it about the questions it raised earlier.

Cameron entered the living room to find the terminator standing by the window checking for threats.

"I need to talk to you." Cameron stated as she stepped beside the T-895.

Val silently turned to face her.

"You stated that I would be essential in the formation of the resistance and the defeat of Skynet. However, this contradicts your previous statement of me being terminated in your future. Why?"

"I never said you were terminated, I said you would have been terminated. In either case, John Connor is the only one essential to the formation of a human resistance."

"Then why would you imply my importance?" Cameron tilted her head.

"I lied."

"Why?" Cameron asked.

"General Connor knew that his Mother and Uncle would never accept the truth of why I was sent back, therefore it was necessary to fabricate a lie to gain their trust."

"The truth?" Cameron asked perplexed by the development.

"You will figure it out on your own…when the time is right." Val responded by turning back to the window.

"Just know that you are important to the resistance…In a different way." He added cryptically. The machine then started his patrol again, leaving Cameron standing alone in the darkness.

After talking with the T-895 and leaving with more questions than answers, Cameron returned to John's room. She stopped in front of his door, contemplating on whether or not she should knock first. After reaching her decision she quietly opened the door and stepped into his room. She entered to find John asleep at his desk, his lamp and Computer still on. She quietly walked over to the desk and turned his lamp and laptop off. Gently she picked John up out of the chair, carefully cradling him in her arms as she placed him in his bed while being cautious not to wake him.

Looking down at him as he slept, the same strange feeling that she experienced talking to John about his nightmares the night before, and talking in his room before the T-888 attack, returned. She felt compelled to be near him, even if it was illogical and didn't aid in protecting him.

She sat down on the edge of his bed, the mattress sinking slightly due to her heavy frame. She thought of the conversation with the other machine, how John had sent it back to save her despite the fact that she was not necessary for the war effort. The implications of this act were not lost to her. Future John risked everything, risked the time-line, to save _her_. He obviously cared for her deeply, possibly even loved her. The thought of this caused those strange feelings to intensify tenfold.

She reached down and quietly removed her combat boots, and laid back on the mattress as she propped her legs onto the bed. She looked over at John, content to just lay there next to him and watch him sleep. Watching the steady rise and fall of his chest as he slumbered. Cameron was beginning to understand the feelings she held for John. She thought about the question John had asked her earlier _"Do you know what love is?" _At the time Cameron answered with what her definition of love was, but that seemed unsatisfactory to John. Cameron spent several minuets processing his query, then she shifter her thoughts to John himself.

John Connor was different, just as she was different. He was the only person who would ever truly accept her for what she was, not that anyone else's opinions mattered to her. Without John she would truly be alone in the world. No one else would ever take the time to talk with her, to teach her, to understand her. From the very eve of her construction the sole purpose of her existence has been John Connor. Wither it be to protect him, or to kill him. She was built expressly for _Him_. Without John, she realized, she would have no reason to exist. That was why she _chose_ to disobey her termination commands. That was why she _chose _to stay by his side and protect him despite having no mission to follow. If this was not love, Cameron thought, it was close enough for her.

As John slowly returned to consciousness he became vaguely aware of an indentation next to him on the mattress, and the warmth that seemed to be emanating from it. He opened his eyes to see Cameron laying next to him in the dark. The moonlight illuminating her just enough for John to tell she was staring at him.

"Cameron!" John said, startled. "What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry. I should go." Cameron replied as she moved to sit up but was suddenly stopped when John grabbed her arm.

"Wait…. I'm not upset. You just surprised me, that's all. What were you doing?" He was no longer repelled by her presence as he would have been just a few days ago. In fact, her presence was reassuring, comforting in a way.

"Watching you sleep." She replied simply, laying back down in the bed.

"Well, I can see that. But why?" John asked, slightly amused by her answer.

"I don't know." Came Cameron's almost trademark response. As she broke his gaze and looked up at the ceiling. John knew something was amiss, and it was likely tied to her recently revealed emotions. He reached out and took her hand in his.

"So, you never did finish describing what you were feeling…" John said, giving her arm a playful tug. Cameron returned his gaze with emotions he'd not seen before. Her eyes so full of life they couldn't

possibly belong to a soulless machine.

Neither made a move to do anything, both seemed perfectly content to just lay there lost in each others eyes. Time seemed to loose its meaning, seconds stretched out into what seemed like eternity. Each one patiently waiting for what the other might say.

"Are you ok?" John was the one to break the silence.

"John…" Cameron leaned in closer to him, bringing her face just centimeters away from his. He could feel her warm breath on his lips, and noticed she smelled faintly like peaches. "…I'm perfect." She said, as they kissed for the first time.


	6. Chapter 6 On the Road Again

John awoke to Cameron's head resting on his chest as she "slept" or engaged standby. He glanced over to the alarm clock on his dresser, it read 6:35am, still early but everyone would be getting up soon if they were still heading to the safe house at eight. Looking back down at Cameron, John was enraptured by her beauty. She looked more peaceful now than she has ever been, like a great weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. Thoughts of last night flashed through Johns mind, causing a small smile to creep onto his face. He and Cameron had kissed for the first time. They had also confessed their feelings for one another, before John drifted to sleep with her in his arms. His thoughts broke when he heard the soft whirr of Cameron's processors rebooting, and was greeted by her radiant smile.

"Hello." she said.

"Hey." Cameron was absolutely stunning, her skin almost glowed in the soft morning light.

"Did you sleep well?" Cameron asked playfully.

"Never better." John answered with a smile, placing a soft kiss on her forehead

"I suppose we better get ready to go, everyone will be up soon." John said as he sat up in the bed, still in last nights clothes.

"John?"

"Yeah, Cam?"

"What happens now?…with us." Cameron was staring at him with those big doe eyes of hers, looking like a lost puppy.

"Well, I guess we are kinda together, I'm not really sure what happens now." John didn't really have much experience with relationships, and a relationship with a cybernetic organism from the future was something else entirely.

"We will continue to be together?" Cameron asked.

"Yes, if that's what you want…is it?"

"Yes. I would like that." Cameron responded almost eagerly.

Cameron cast her gaze to the floor before continuing. "What are we going to tell Sarah and Derek? They will disapprove." Her eyes met his as she finished.

"Cameron" John walked over to the bed and placed a hand on her cheek. She responded by leaning into his touch. "Don't worry about what they think, we'll deal with that as it comes up." John already knew what Derek and his mother would think of his new relationship with Cameron, but they were wrong about her. He no longer cared what they or anybody else thought.

"Nothing is going to change."

"Promise?" Cameron said, echoing John's words from his birthday. John sat back down on the bed next to her. Placing his arm around her as he looked deeply into her eyes.

"Promise." John said as he pulled her into a kiss, reassuring her that his feelings for her would never change.

Cameron suddenly broke the kiss. "We better get ready to go." Cameron said as she hesitantly stood up. "Sarah is awake now."

They had just completed loading all the firearms and the small amount of possessions they had into the back of the family truck and the Jeep the terminator had brought with him.

"I still don't think we can trust this thing." Derek said to Sarah as he put the last box into the back of the truck.

"We don't have much of a choice. It's right, if one can find us then others will too." Sarah replied as John, Cameron and the T-895 approached them.

"Is everyone ready to proceed to the safe house?" Val asked.

"Yes, and a simple 'Is everyone ready' would've worked." Derek said rolling his eyes at the terminators choice of words. The terminator ignored him.

"Alright mom, I'm gonna ride with Cameron and ummm…..Do you have a name?" John asked as he turned to the terminator.

"Yes." The terminator answered, apparently not thinking they would care to know what it was.

"Jesus, now this one has a name?" Derek mumbled to himself.

"What is it?" John asked ignoring his uncles smart remark.

"Val." he stated simply.

"Ok. I'm going to ride with Cameron and Val in the Jeep." John said to his mother.

"No, your not." Sarah shot back.

"Why not?" John asked sick of his mother always making decisions for him.

"I'm not leaving you alone with that thing." Sarah said.

"We can trust him, I sent him back. And besides I won't be alone, Cameron will be with me."

"It is my mission to protect John." Cameron said taking a step closer to John. Sarah was acutely aware of how close they were standing even before the machine stepped closer to John. It took all her willpower not to lash out at the terminator now standing intimately close to her son.

"Maybe I should rephrase this, I'm not leaving you alone with _those things." Sarah said bitterly. _

_John took a step closer to his mother, he was seething with anger. "Don't start." He warned, glaring down at her. "I'm riding with Cameron and that's the end of it." John finished as he returned to Cameron's side. _

"_John.." Sarah started but John cut her off. _

"_Don't push it." he added. Sarah had seen her son angry when he didn't agree with her before, but this was different. She saw something in him. The way he defended her. The way that he walked with her, instead of beside her. The way that he talked to her. The way he looked at her and the way the machine looked at him. There was more going on there than either of them were saying. She swore to herself that she would find out what that was, soon. _

_The car ride was fairly quiet, Cameron drove, John sat in the passenger seat next to her and Val was sitting in the back occasionally giving Cameron directions to the safe house. _

"_I'm sorry about mom." John said breaking the silence. _

"_Don't worry about it." Cameron said giving him a heart warming smile. _

"_I just wish she could see you for more than a machine."_

"_Her opinion means nothing to me, only yours matters." _

"_I wish she could see what I see." John said _

"_And what is it that you see?" Cameron asked. John smiled at her and motioned for her free hand, she obliged and he took her hand in his. _

"_I see a beautiful girl that I don't deserve." Cameron smiled and they sat in silence for the rest of the drive, hand in hand. _

_Sarah and Derek were in the truck following John and the machines. Sarah was driving, gripping the steering wheel so tightly that her knuckles were turning ghostly white. She looked absolutely infuriated. Derek had witnessed the exchange between Sarah and her son, and had wisely chosen to keep his mouth shut. Now he had a dilemma. On one hand he could attempt to talk to Sarah about it, and risk a broken nose, hoping that it would relieve some of her stress. Or, he could simply play it smart and sit in silence, letting Sarah wallow in her hatred. He decided to risk the nose. _

"_So, about John and the machine." _

"_Don't Derek." Sarah warned coldly. _

"_You need to talk Sarah, letting it fester inside of you can't be healthy and you'll end up doing something you regret later." She sat in silence for several seconds as if contemplating Derek's words before speaking. _

"_I….It makes me sick, Derek. I can see it. In his eyes, in her eyes…the machines eyes." she corrected. Derek was silent waiting for her to continue. "I though that he realized what she was on his birthday but…he pulled a gun on us, to save her. He chose her over us. Things have changed. I don't know what happened. What did I do wrong?" Sarah asked almost in tears. _

"_Its not your fault." _

" _Yes it is! My son, Derek! My son is falling for her. One of the very things that killed his father. I…I Just…I feel like I'm losing my son." So there it was, was this a machine issue? Or a mother issue?_

"_Your not losing your son. John loves you, you're his mother. He'll come around eventually. Its just a phase, he's a teenage boy. The metal looks like an attractive teenage girl, obviously he's going to be attracted to it. It's just lust, he'll get over it." Derek repeated, not sure if he was trying to convince himself or Sarah. _

"_I know the difference between lust and love Derek. I know what I saw, and it wasn't lust in their eyes." Derek didn't miss the slip up, she had said 'their eyes' not his eyes. She always referred to Cameron as a 'she' or a 'her'. Never an it. whether she consciously thought so or not Sarah didn't truly think of the metal as a machine. A mistake Derek vowed never to make. They sat in silence for the rest of the drive. Both contemplating the different implications of Sarah's last statement and what that would mean for the future of mankind. _


	7. Chapter 7 Control Freak

They arrived at the safe house Val had set up, it was conveniently located outside of the city. In a secluded area, it would be very hard for anyone to find unless they were actively looking for it. The house itself was relatively small. The main door entered into the living room which was connected to a small kitchen. There were three bedrooms in the house. The process of deciding who would sleep where was relatively simple. Derek refusing to settle for the couch yet again, stated that Cameron had no use for a room considering the fact that she didn't sleep. Sarah agreed with this and everything seemed to be going smoothly until Cameron stated that whatever room John was staying in she would also be staying in for the sake of keeping John safe. At which point Sarah had enough.

"Your crazy if you think I'm going to let you share a room with my son!" Sarah shot at Cameron.

"I need to protect John." Cameron replied in monotone.

"And you can continue to protect John just like you did before, by patrolling the house." Sarah retorted.

"The T-895 can patrol the house, my continuing to do so would be redundant and a waste of resources. If I stay in close proximity with John his chances of survival will increase exponentially." Cameron attempted to use the logic game.

"Unless you're in the process of protecting him, you stay the hell away from my son." Sarah practically growled at Cameron.

"I'm always in the process of protecting John." There was a hint of emotion in her voice, one Sarah couldn't identify. _No, not emotion. Machines can't feel_. She said to herself.

"Mom, Cameron has a point. She needs to be able to keep her things somewhere and besides I'll be safer with her around. " _Keep reaching boy. _Sarah thought.

"Absolutely not John."

"Mom! I don't see what the big deal is. Its not like anything is going to happen. " John tried to convince his mother, knowing full well he was probably lying.

"And what if she goes bad again?"

"She won't." John answered quickly, a little too quickly.

"How do you know? How can you be sure?" Her gaze shifting between the machine and her son. _What the hell's going on between you two?_

"Because I know her. I trust her, and she told me." He said sharing a quick glance with Cameron.

"She told you?" Sarah scoffed. "Just like she told you that she loved you." Typical Sarah Connor, right for the jugular. John slammed his fist down onto the kitchen table and glared at his mother.

"You don't know anything." He said darkly.

"Then enlighten me, John. Is there something I should know? Is there something going on between you two? If there is tell me now."

"And if I answer yes?"

"Damn it John" Sarah muttered. "So help me god I'll…"

"You'll What?" John said defiantly cutting her off. "What exactly will you do? John was seething with anger.

"Are you in love with _her_?" Sarah managed to croak out. The room was deathly quiet as the words seemed to just hang in the air. Derek was pacing the room, obviously uncomfortable with the situation. Cameron's expression was exceptionally blank as she stood there like a statue. John didn't say anything to deny the accusation. Sarah and John were so concentrated on each other that neither of them noticed Cameron's left hand begin to twitch uncontrollably.

" It's a machine, John! It's METAL!" Sarah screamed as she grabbed John by the shoulders.

"Enough!" Cameron was between them in a flash. She effortlessly pinned Sarah to the kitchen wall. "You are John's Mother and I respect you, however, the choices John and I make regarding the nature of our relationship are none of your concern." Cameron voice was raised and she seemed genuinely upset. "I also have a name other than 'It'." She added as she stormed off to John's room. Everyone was stunned to silence by Cameron. Derek had pulled out his pistol, even John was surprised by her words.

"Derek put the gun down."

Sarah was silent, shocked that the machine had actually blown up on her, she had never seen Cameron lose her calm like that before. That scared her. It seemed too…human. _It had to be programming, right? _She asked herself.

Val walked into the room having heard the commotion. "Is there a problem General?" Val asked.

"No, no problem." John answered as he left to find Cameron.

After ensuring that the situation was resolved Val returned to loading the weapons in the living room.

"We need to get rid of the machine." Derek stated.

_What if John is right? What if she is different?_

"No." Sarah replied.

"What? Did you miss what just happened?" Derek asked incredulously.

"I need time to think about this. For now we leave them alone."

"Sarah! You can't be serious?"

"Stay away from them, Derek. At least until I figure out what we are going to do."

Cameron was lying on her side in John's new bed. John slowly walked over to the bed and sat down next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"You were lying to me weren't you?" Cameron looked up at John confused.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"When you said that their opinions didn't matter to you. You were lying."

"No." Cameron whispered.

"Well it didn't look that way just a few minuets ago." John said with a bit of a laugh, laying down in bed next to her.

"I don't know why that happened. It shouldn't have happened. I'm a machine. I'm not suppose to lose control." She said.

"Cameron, you're not just a machine. Ok? Don't be so hard on yourself, you were upset, it happens. People get mad all the time." John tried to comfort her but failed.

"I'm not people. I'm dangerous. If I were to ever lose control again, I could become a threat. I could be a threat to you."

"Everything seemed to work out ok last time." John joked. Cameron shot him a condescending look.

"It's serious, John. I don't ever want to lose control with you. If I hurt you …I don't know what I would do…" she trailed off. John pulled her into an hug.

"You won't." John said confidently, holding her tighter.

They laid there for several long seconds, John seemed to be lost in thought. Cameron was concerned that she had caused him distress.

"Are you upset with me?" Cameron asked as she looked up at him.

"No." John looked down at her and smiled. "I'm just disappointed with her." There was a knock at his door.

"Yes?" John asked.

"It is Val." The terminator on the other side of the door answered. John regrettably climbed out of bed and unlocked the door, Cameron followed.

"Come in." he said. Val opened the door and walked into the room carrying two large duffle bags, which he set on the ground in front of him.

"I bought these items for you. They may prove useful in the future." The machine stated." John eyed the machine suspiciously. Then walked over to the bags.

"Ok…." John zipped one of the bags open and peered inside. Inside the bag there were level IV plate carriers, load bearing gear, tactical clothing, a grenade launcher, an assault rifle, and plenty of ammo. "Where did you get all this? You break into a military base?" John said jokingly, hoping it wasn't true.

"I have connections." The machine said with a smirk, one not unlike Uncle Bob's when he first picked up the mini gun he enjoyed so much.

Everyone had gathered in the kitchen. John and Cameron stood together on one side of the room, Sarah and Derek on the other. The tension in the room was so thick it could be cut with a knife. John was planning another excursion into Virtue Corp., this time to access the company mainframe which couldn't be accessed remotely. Val had just finished suggesting his plan for dealing with Virtue Corp. which involved little more than going in guns blazing and blowing the whole place with some plastic explosive. Surprisingly (maybe not surprisingly considering Derek's plan for dealing with the ARTI system.) Derek had actually agreed with the machine. However, John had a different opinion.

"We can't just blow the whole place up. We're not even sure they are connected to Skynet yet." John said.

"Sure we can." Derek scoffed. "The machine has enough plastique." Typical Derek John thought..

"We can't just go in there and pull another Cyberdyne." John said. "We need to find out more, see how deep this really goes. Not all AI development companies are inherently evil."

"John is right. We should attempt to gather as much information as possible." Cameron agreed with him.

"And why am I not surprised to see you jump to his defense." Sarah remarked.

"Mom, you remember what happened with Cyberdyne. We thought we stopped it but we didn't. We need to make sure this is as far as this goes." John argued, ignoring his mom's remark towards Cameron.

"And the more leads we have the more places we can hit it." John finished. "if you guys can get me access to the company mainframe I can gain access to files that wouldn't be saved on the hard drives, maybe even find this A.I. they are developing."

"Ok John, but before we do anything you are going to finish going over those hard drives." Sarah conceded. "They just got knocked off so security will be tighter. Derek and I will recon the place tomorrow. Try to find a way in."

**Val's Safe house **

John Connor sat as his desk. He had been examining the hard drives from Virtue Corp. for the last four hours. He stifled a yawn and rubbed his eyes. He moved the pointer on the computer screen to click on a new file when suddenly the laptop snapped shut.

"You need to take a break." Cameron stated. Her hand firmly holding the laptop closed.

"Cam, I'm fine. Just a little tired, it's no big deal."

"You have been staring at the computer screen for over four hours. It is not healthy." She stated in monotone as John rolled his eyes. "You require at least a one hour break. Before I let you continue."

"Before you _let_ me continue?" John asked wide-eyed.

"Yes." Cameron answered with a devilish smirk. "Now, are you going to cooperate?" She leaned in closer, breathing heavily into his ear. "Or shall I use force?" She purred.

John gulped, "Cameron, what are you doing?"

"What's wrong John?" Cameron asked as she spun his chair around and straddled him. "Am I making you uncomfortable?" she teased as she proceeded to kiss him.

"Cam….muhhh…Cam…" John struggled between kisses. "Cameron wait!" She pulled back to look at him.

"Did I do something wrong?" She asked, genuinely confused. "I though that you wanted to continue to pursue a relationship with me? "

"I do, I just…I don't want to rush into things." John said as Cameron removed herself from his lap.

"You're having doubts." She stated putting up her robotic façade. John stood up and walked over to her wrapping her in his arms, she allowed herself to be pulled into his embrace.

"I'm not having doubts about us, Cameron."

"Sexual intercourse is a natural evolutionary step in human relationships. It increases the emotional bond between the two parties." Cameron stated, looking up at him. " I want to be closer to you."

"I do to Cameron. I just don't think now is the right time for…this, especially with mom and Derek in the house. I want to wait, I want it to be special." John said, resting his chin on her head. "Do you understand?" John asked.

"Yes, John." Cameron said, resting the side of her face on his chest, listening to the rhythmic beat of his heart.

Sarah Connor was walking down the hall in their new house, on her way to check on her son's progress with the hard drives. As she arrived at the door she stopped, she saw her son holding the machine in his arms, apparently comforting her_. _They looked like the perfect couple, and they would be, except for the fact that one of them wasn't real. She backed away from the door and quietly retreated to her room.

Sarah was sitting on the corner of her bed, lost in thought.

She always knew it would come to this. Cameron would be the one. Ever since that first day in New Mexico, she knew. Cameron would be the one to take her son from her.

_You can accept it, move on. Accept the fact that Cameron truly is different. John loves her and she loves him. _She thought to herself.

She had always know that Cameron was somehow different from the other terminators. She would never admit this fact to anyone, but it was obvious for all who were smart enough to see. She wasn't even sure that she hated the machine, not truly. In fact, she hadn't even thought of Cameron as an "it" until recently. And that was mainly her lashing out at Cameron. The changes in the relationship between John and Cameron bothered her and she convinced herself that it was because Cameron was a machine that couldn't love her son back. But now, having had time to think about things, she realized that she was feeling threatened by Cameron.

"What if she does love John?" She asked herself.

_Machines can appreciate human life, you said so yourself. If they can value human life, why can't they love? _

Agent James Ellison was sitting in his living room, he had just gotten done with his daily exercise. Flipping though the TV channel's he paused as he saw the face of the machine that had killed twenty of his men staring back at him. _Not the machine., Laszlo…George Laszlo. Some innocent, out of work B grade actor who had to take the blame. _He felt a pang of remorse.

"I had heard the trees in this forest grew lovely fruit. Yet truly I had no idea. Ha ha ha" _Well maybe a C grade actor. _James thought.

"I must warn you my lady. My stripped friend is an excellent climber." James's phone rang.

"Hello?" He answered, turning off the TV.

"Agent James Ellison, please." A women with a Scottish(?) accent asked.

"Speaking."

"My name is Catharine Weaver, Mr. Ellison. I'd like to talk to you about an opportunity." she asked.

"I'm not interested in any opportunities."

"A job opportunity, Agent Ellison." She corrected. "I presume you won't be returning to the FBI once your leave of absence is over." She stated.

"How'd you get my number?" _who does this women think she is?_

"_I'll tell you about it at lunch, shall we say…one o' clock? My assistant will give you the information." _

"_No. I don't know who you are and I'm very busy." _

"_You're not busy. Come to lunch, we'll talk about who or what actually killed your collogues." _


	8. Chapter 8 What is Love

John groggily walked to the kitchen. The smell and sound of frying bacon rousing him from his sleep. He entered the kitchen to see Cameron standing at the stove cooking breakfast and briefly wondered if he was still dreaming.

"Good morning." She greeted him without turning around.

"Good morning, what are you doing?" John asked, taking a seat at the table.

"Cooking breakfast..." Cameron answered as she prepared a plate and sat it down on the table in front of John. "…for you."

"What made you decide to do this?"

"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Cameron answered as John took a bite out of a pancake.

"These are better than mom's pancakes."

"They are Cam-cakes."

"What? Cam-cakes?"

"Yes, Cam-cakes. I added a teaspoon of vanilla to your mothers recipe."

"Mom has a recipe?"

"The recipe on the box." Cameron corrected with a smile.

"Tin miss you're coming with me. We need to talk." Sarah said as she entered the kitchen.

"About what?" John mumbled with a mouth full of Cameron's pancakes.

"Girl stuff." Sarah answered as she walked out the door. Cameron shared a confused look with John before following Sarah out of the house.

John sat in his bad, going over the hard drives with his computer. It had been near two hours since his mother and Cameron had left to have their little talk. Quite frankly, he was beginning to worry. He clicked through another file. So far most of the information was pretty useless and not very revealing. Growing frustrated with the hard-drives, John got up to head to the kitchen and find some food. As John entered the kitchen he found his uncle standing at the counter with a beer in a staring contest with Val, who was standing by the window.

"What's going on?" John asked.

"Just watching the metal, making sure it doesn't go crazy and slit our throats." Derek answered. Val turned to them and spoke.

"Your uncle should reduce his alcohol intake. It's hazardous to his health. It also appears to have killed the majority of his brain cells."

"Cute, the toaster can make jokes. Like I'm going to take health advice from a killing machine, anyway." Derek replied, still staring daggers at the terminator.

John grabbed a bag of cheetos from the cupboard and quickly headed back to his room. He hoped that Cameron and his Mother got back quick. Being stuck in the middle of a feud between a killing machine and a hard-nosed resistance fighter was not where he wanted to be today.

The car ride had been dead silent as Sarah drove. Cameron did not understand, Sarah said she wanted to talk with her. Finally, She decided to initiate the conversation.

"What did you want to talk about?" Cameron asked.

Sarah couldn't believe what she was about to do.

"I wanted to apologize, for the things I said earlier. I'm…sorry." There, she had done the impossible.

"Thank you for explaining." Cameron replied simply, a slight smile forming on her lips but quickly disappearing.

"You can cut the crap now" Sarah said looking over at her.

Cameron tilted her head quizzically "What do you mean?"

"You can stop with this 'I'm just a robot' act. I brought you with me to talk."

"So talk." Cameron replied.

"I want to know why?"

"Why?"

"Why are you with my son? Is that what you're programmed for? Part of your mission? Did future John send you back to be his girlfriend?"

"No, it is not a part of my mission."

"Then why?"

"I don't know"

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"Things have changed, I don't understand exactly how."

"What do you mean things have changed? What has changed?"

"I process things differently now. I no longer have a mission."

"If you don't have a mission then why are you here? Why do you still protect John?" Sarah asked. Cameron didn't answer, Sarah wondered what that meant. They sat in silence for a long moment before Sarah spoke again.

"Do you love him? Are you even capable of that?…of love?" Sarah asked, casting a glance at Cameron when she didn't answer immediately.

Cameron shifted her gaze out the window before she spoke.

"I am a learning computer. We are built to learn through social interaction. To learn human behavior."

"Mimicry?" Sarah asked.

"No. We are able to learn not simply mimic. We are able to understand, to reason." Cameron corrected.

" So you're saying you can learn to love him?" Sarah asked, attempting to understand the machines reasoning. "Is that it?"

"Not the way humans can." Cameron looked as if she were struggling to understand it herself. "You experience love and emotions through a series of chemical reactions in your brain. I can't do that, but I can develop preferences. I prefer to be with John."

"So it's not real love? At least not the same as what John feels for you?"

"Perhaps not." Cameron answered honestly. "But, It is real to me. John is my life. He is the reason for my existence…Without John, I would be alone." Cameron answered.

Sarah could not deny the profoundness of Cameron's words, if she was speaking the truth, then John was everything to her. Another moment passed before she spoke again.

"I love him."

John heard the truck pull into the drive way and was relived when he head two sets of foot steps as they entered the house. That meant both Cameron and his mother had made it back safely. John looked up as his mom entered his room, knocking lightly on his door.

"So what did you two talk about?" John asked his mother as she walked in.

"I had questions, she answered them." Sarah answered. Sarah watched her son in silence for a few moments.

"What is it?" John asked.

"Nothing." Sarah smiled. "I love you, John." John squirmed slightly, his mother and him never really had these heart to hearts.

"I love you too, mom." He answered. Both waited in awkward silence for a few moments.

"Where's Derek?" Sarah asked.

"I think he's still downstairs in the kitchen." John answered. "Trying to kill Val with his death stare." His mother laughed.

"I suppose I better go get him before he does anything foolish."

He watched as he mother went on the search for Derek. Wondering what her and Cameron talked about that changed his mothers attitude so much, when suddenly the object of his thoughts was staring him in the face.

"Hey." John said.

"Hello." Cameron replied with a soft smile as she walked over to John and placed her hands on his shoulders as he held her waist and gave her a quick kiss.

"What did you and mom talk about?" John asked. As Cameron lay down in the bed beside him.

"About the nature of our relationship. About me." Cameron replied. "If I am capable of loving you."

"How did she take it?"

"Better than I expected." Cameron detected elevated levels of stress. "What's wrong?" She asked with a frown. "You don't believe I'm capable of loving you?" She asked.

"I never doubted that for a second." John answered. Cameron detected that he was still upset. He needs reassurance, she reasoned.

"You need to know how it works." Cameron continued. "This body."

"Cameron." John shifted uncomfortably, averting his gaze. Cameron placed her hand on his cheek, directing his gaze back into her eyes.

"We are constructed differently." She stated. "I can never feel emotions exactly like you do." Cameron looked deeply into his eyes. " My chip can not process chemical reactions like your brain can. They are different, but no less real." She ran her hand down his cheek lightly. "However, we are also similar in ways." She continued. "When I touch you, you're body sends electrical signals to your brain. My body also sends signals to my Chip. I can feel tactical sensation." She kissed him.

"Why are you saying this?"

"I need to be sure that you understand. I can never be human." Cameron illuminated her eyes to emphasize her point. " I will always be a machine. No matter how far I may evolve. That has to be enough." She finished, her eyes returning to their normal color.

"Cameron." John pulled her into a hug. "You've always been enough for me."

"I love you John." She whispered. John knew that she meant it. Even if it wasn't the same kind of love, she loved him in her own way.

"I love you too."

* * *

This is a revised Ch 8. I just made some very small changes here to make Cameron seem more like...Cameron.


	9. Chapter 9 Visiting Hours

"So what are we going to do?"

"I don't know, that depends on what John finds here." Sarah replied as they watched the building.

"I mean, what are we going to do about the metal?" Derek insisted.

"What can we do? It's John's choice to make."

"Well I know a few things, remember that M82 I had stored in the shed?"

"You don't touch her." Sarah ordered. Her tone betraying her feelings on the subject more that she'd like.

"Sarah! How can you say that! Look at what she's doing to John." Derek couldn't believe it. "To you."

"What Derek? What exactly is she doing to me?"

"You've gone soft. You've forgotten what she…IT…is under that pretty exterior." Derek leaned back in his seat. "The Sarah Connor I know wouldn't stand by while her son is wrapped around that metal whores finger." Sarah's fist hit Derek squarely in the jaw causing him to recoil in pain.

"You think I've forgotten what she is?" Sarah asked livid. "I know what she is, Derek. I'd be the first one to take her apart if she so much as looks at John wrong." Sarah let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "If she brings John true happiness, as long as she doesn't hurt him…I may never approve but I can tolerate that. Who am I too take that away from him? If I ever hurt John like that, he would never forgive me." Derek watched the sadness pass through Sarah's eyes and understood.

"You're right. John would never forgive you." Derek solemnly agreed. A mother needed her son's love, even one as strong and hard as Sarah Connor. And a son, even a savior, needed his mother.

"I think we've seen enough." Sarah said, snapping Derek out of his thoughts. "Let's get back to the house and work out a plan." She finished as she started the truck.

A lone guard sat in the main lobby of Virture Corp. The graveyard shift. He stifled a yawn, as he heard the lobby doors open.

"We're closed." The guard said, looking up from his book as two men, one woman, and a teenage boy and girl approached his desk. "Visiting hours are from nine o' clock to - " The guard was instantly silenced as the three adults pulled guns on him. Val walked around the front desk and forced him back into his seat, as Cameron pulled out a roll of duck-tape smiling mischievously at him. John couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

"Val, take care of any stragglers. Don't kill them." John ordered as he set his backpack on the desk and sat down in the guards chair.

"Affirmative." Val said as he proceeded down the hall.

"Once Cameron get's me to the server room and I'll access the system mainframe." John said to his Mother as he typed away on one of the computers at the desk.

"Be quick about it, I don't want to be here if the cops arrive." Sarah answered.

"Ok…looks like the security room is on the second floor. The server farm is located in sublevel one." John said grabbing his backpack from the counter.

"Derek and I will handle the security room." Sarah said. "Tin-Miss, keep him out of trouble." She added, glancing at Cameron.

"I will." Cameron answered as she and John set off to sublevel one.

John sat at the computer terminal typing furiously. Cameron was standing behind him looking over his shoulder with her head tilted.

"The system is locked down pretty tight. I guess that's a good sign, right?" John said, making conversation.

"Yes. That's a good sign." Cameron replied. The radio on Cameron's belt crackled with static.

"We just finished sanitizing the security room. Camera's are down." Came Derek's voice over the radio.

"Excellent." Cameron replied.

"Yeah, whatever. Is John still alive?" Derek asked.

"Yes. Why wouldn't he be?" Cameron looked at John as he placed a flash drive into one of the computer terminals.

"Gee, I don't know. Maybe because you snapped his neck! Sarah, I told you we shouldn't have sent John alone wih-." Derek was suddenly silenced as Cameron switched the radio off.

"Derek's not going to be happy about that." John said, a small smile on his lips.

"Derek isn't happy with anything I do." Cameron retorted, placing her hand on John's back. She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. John turned to face her and she kissed him on the lips.

"Especially not that." John laughed. Cameron gave him a small smile.

"I don't believe Derek has ever witnessed us being intimate. We won't know the effect it will have on him unless we test it." John's eye grew wide. "I fooled you again." Cameron smiled.

"You're evil." John kissed her. "and we are on a schedule." He started typing again.

"Did the Tin-can just turn the radio off on me?" Derek asked Sarah as he looked at his radio, his features awash in confusion.

"I believe so." Sarah replied a smile on her face. As much as she hated to admit it, Cameron was starting to grow on her. She still didn't know what to think regarding her son's relationship with Cameron. So far, however, Cameron seemed to be treating him well and keeping him happy. This was the happiest she'd seen John since Uncle Bob, Sarah reflected sadly. That relationship dynamic happened to be far easier for her to accept. She sighed, why couldn't things be simple again?

"Shit! Sarah, look!" Derek gestured to one of the monitors. Several white vans pulled into parking lot and men in grey flight suits poured out of them, rushing into the building.

"Damnit! Why can't things ever be simple?" Sarah said as she reached for her gun.

John continued to look through system. The system wasn't big enough to support an A.I. advanced enough to turn into Skynet. It did, however, show that the company was doing a lot of research in the Artificial Intelligence field. Specifically, they seemed to be interested in developing new types of conductors. He was skimming through the files when something caught his eye. It was a transaction log. A big one. Several million dollars worth. The customer was another corporation, a company know as the Kaliba Group. Hmmm John began to scroll through the pages. Dates, times, bank transfers, loading locations. But no documentation of what exactly they were buying. John copied as much as he could onto the flash drive.

The screen flashed into static.

"Oh crap…" John said, pulling the flash drive out of the computer.

"What is it?" Cameron asked, turning to radio back on, If she was lucky Derek would have had an aneurism by now and be in no condition to talk. John started typing faster when suddenly the screen flashed several more times in quick succession and then went black.

"No. No. No!" John slammed his fist down on the table. "I just got locked out. Someone caught me snooping around in the system." John replied. The radio buzzed to life.

"It's time to leave." Sarah said. "We've got company, not cops, private security." John looked at Cameron, she pulled out her HK USP Compact and chambered a round. "They mean business." His mom continued.

"Sarah! We gotta go! Where the hell is that metal!" John heard his uncle's voice over the radio followed by several gunshots. Cameron frowned slightly at hearing Derek's voice.

"I'm heading to the lobby." Val replied.

"We're heading to you." John said.

Derek ducked into the security room, narrowly avoiding incoming fire.

"We gotta get to the lobby." Sarah informed him.

"Great, it's not like that's going to be crawling with security or anything." Derek leaned out of the doorway and fired a shot at one of the guards with his Sig 226. "Gotcha you bastard." he mumbled.

"Derek!" he turned to look at Sarah and reloaded his weapon. "We gotta get through this hallway and to the elevator. Let's go!" She said, Glock at the ready. She leaned out of the door and started firing. "MOVE!" She yelled at Derek. He took off down the hall and found cover in an adjacent doorway. Pausing for only a moment, he began to fire.

"SET!" Derek yelled.

"MOVING!" Sarah called to him as she reloaded her pistol.

"MOVE!" Derek called back, firing at the guards. Sarah rushed out to a doorway adjacent from Derek's.

"SET!" She yelled.

Val walked into the lobby and was greeted by six armed security personnel.

"Drop your weapon!" One of them shouted. Val was armed with only a single pistol, an FN Five-seveN. He briefly considered terminating all of the guards before letting his pistol fall to the floor.

"No problamo." Val replied raising his hands.

"Get behind me John." Cameron ordered as the elevator approached the ground floor. With a soft ding, the door opened. Cameron stepped out, John peeked his head out before he followed.

"Stay close." Cameron instructed as she started walking down the hall towards the main lobby. As they turned the corner to the lobby John noticed several private security personnel, clad in grey flight suits and black vests, sprawled out on the ground.

"Are they dead?" He whispered to Cameron.

"They'll live." Val called out as he approached them, startling John. "We should leave before more arrive." He stated.

"Where's mom and Derek?" John asked. John's question was answered when they heard the ding of an elevator and turned to the other hall. Derek appeared, with Sarah supported on his shoulder, blood covering her left leg. "MOM!" John yelled, rushing to her side.

"I'm fine John, just a flesh wound." Sarah assured him, wincing as she spoke.

"We gotta get you're mom home and get the bullet out." Derek said.


	10. Chapter 10 Hard Contact

The document editor on this site is crap. Anyway, here we are, Ch10! This will be this last update I make until after Christmas. I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I put alot of work into this one and it is one of the longest I've posted.

Please review, and enjoy!

**

* * *

**

Connor Safe house

"Keep pressure on the wound." Cameron instructed John as she opened up the medical kit. Sarah lay on the kitchen table with John holding an old shirt over her wounded leg. Derek was leaning against the counter with his arms crossed.

"Do we really want her do be doing this?" Derek asked.

"Derek, give it a rest. Cameron is fine." John looked at him. He didn't even feel like arguing with his uncle anymore. "It's not like there is another option, unless you're qualified?" Derek silently shook his head.

"What about your friend Charlie?" Derek asked.

"We've already caused him enough problems." Sarah said.

"I'm going to administer a local anesthetic." Cameron told Sarah, as she held up a needle from the med kit. "This will sting slightly." She injected the drug into Sarah's leg. "It will be a few moments before the numbing comes into full effect."

"Just get it over with." Sarah replied. Cameron paused and looked at her for a moment. Sarah shook her head yes. Cameron glanced at John before retrieving the forceps from the medical kit.

"Try to be still." Cameron removed the shirt from the wound and looked at Sarah. "You will feel some discomfort." she proceeded to remove the round.

* * *

Cameron walked into John's room, not bothering to knock. She stopped doing that since the night they first kissed. She found John on his bed looking at his laptop.

"How is mom doing?" John asked.

"I just changed her bandage. She is still sleeping." Cameron climbed into bed next to John, resting her head on his shoulder.

"She was lucky." John replied. They laid there together, simply enjoying each others company. The silence was interrupted by John's stomach rumbling loudly.

"I have lasagna in the oven. It should be done in seven minutes." Cameron informed John.

"You're too good for me, you know that?" John responded.

"Yes. I know that." Cameron replied causing John to raise an eyebrow and look down at her. Cameron saw this and leaned up and kissed him. "What are you looking for?" she asked.

"Just going through some of the files I pulled from the system mainframe. Virtue Corp is making several large shipments a month to a company called Kaliba. All they had in the log were the departing locations and the dates, not the actual product." John said.

"They don't want anyone to know what's being shipped." Cameron stated.

"Yeah, sure looks that way. ..Oh crap…" John said to himself as he noticed one of the dates on the files he saved to the flash drive was tomorrow.

"What is it?" Cameron asked.

"One of those shipments goes out tomorrow." John looked at her. "I say we go down there and see for ourselves what exactly they are shipping."

"That sounds acceptable."

"If we are going to do this, we need to do it soon. Before they move the product." John responded.

Cameron looked thoughtful for a moment. "Ok." She replied.

"Ok? Just like that?" John was shocked that she went for it that easily.

"The experience will be good for you." She answered. "And you will have the T-895 and myself to protect you."

"Now the hard part, I gotta go talk to mom…" John said, trying to think of a way to convince his mother.

"We'll eat first." Cameron stated. "We can make use of the weapons and armor Val acquired for you." she added, standing up.

"Are you sure we will need that?" John asked getting up to follow Cameron.

"If it's related to Skynet, we'll need it." Cameron passed John and headed down the hallway. He followed, wondering exactly what he had gotten himself into.

* * *

John was sitting at the kitchen table eating with Cameron when he heard footsteps approaching. He looked up to see his uncle come into the kitchen.

Derek walked over to the counter and grabbed a plate, shoveling lasagna onto it without saying a word. He walked over to the refrigerator and took out a beer, turning to look at John. He looked from John to Cameron before finally looking at John again.

"That's a waste of good food." Derek said, referring to the small serving Cameron had allowed herself to indulge in. "I'll be in the basement watching TV, if anyone needs me." He said as he walked out.

John put his head in his hands. "Does he ever stop?" he asked himself. He looked at Cameron, who had stopped eating her food and sat with her hands on her lap. "You alright?" John asked her softly. She was silent for a moment before she looked at him and smiled.

"I'm fine." She said as she picked up her fork and resumed eating. John knew, however, that all was not fine. Cameron would never admit it, but John knew she wasn't always as strong as she appeared on the outside.

* * *

Sarah was laying in her bed staring at the ceiling. Her leg was numb, Cameron gave her some kind of painkillers, they worked well but made her tired. She looked at the door, hearing a light knock, and saw her son come in with a trey of food.

"I brought this for you." John said placing the trey on her bedside table. Sarah scooted up into a sitting position and looked over it's contents; lasagna and garlic bread…it actually looked and smelled good.

"Did you cook?" She asked with an expression of shock on her face.

"Cameron helped a little." John smiled. Sarah gave him a look. "Ok, she might have helped a lot."

"That was thoughtful of her." Sarah said with a hint of sarcasm. John sighed and sat down on the side of the bed.

"She may not show it but it does affect her." John looked at his mother. "What happens. The things you and Derek say. She cares…more than she admits." Sarah was silent, the last thing she wanted was to get into another fight with her son.

"Where is Cameron, anyway?" Sarah asked. "Aren't you two attached at the hip nowadays?"

"She's downstairs getting Val. I actually needed to talk to you about that." Sarah could tell her son was up to something.

"What are you doing?" She asked him.

"We found a list. The files from Virtue corp. They were getting paid big money by another company called Kaliba Group."

"Paid for what?" Sarah asked.

"That's just it, we don't know. They had the shipping dates and locations but no record of what was being sold. One of those shipments is going out early tomorrow." John finished looking at his mother expectantly.

"What? No! Absolutely not, John."

"Mom, listen. We are just going in to look and see what they are shipping. Simple." John said.

"You expect me to let you go in there with-"

"What? With Cameron? With "metal"?" John interrupted.

"Without me." Sarah finished. John looked away guiltily.

"I'm sorry, but this is something we need to do." John looked into her eyes. "I need to do this." Sarah sighed. She knew that John needed to start stepping up, with less than four months left until Judgment Day (assuming they couldn't stop it), he had very little time to prepare.

"You stay close to Cameron." John smiled at his mother. "I mean it John, don't leave her sight for a second. If it looks wrong you abort."

"Thanks mom. Derek is downstairs if you need anything." John hugged her.

"Thank me by coming back safe." Sarah replied, reluctantly letting go of her son.

**

* * *

**

Industrial District

The Jeep pulled to a stop a few blocks away from the shipping compound.

"So, this is it.." John stated nervously. Cameron reached out and took his hand in hers.

"Are you sure you want to follow through with this?" Cameron asked him.

"How am I supposed to become this great leader unless I start making decisions. I just… I don't want to make a mistake." Cameron looked at John for a moment before He spoke again.

"Lets go." He stated. As he opened the door and stepped out of the Jeep, Cameron followed closely behind. Val got out last and walked around to the back, pulling out a large black duffel bag.

They walked in silence for several blocks until they reached the compound. The place looked empty, save for one warehouse which had it's lights on. Val tore the fence open and the trio continued to the warehouse, moving along to the back where the loading bay door was open.

"Wait." Cameron grabbed John's arm. "I hear movement ahead."

"She is correct." Val confirmed.

"What's in there?" John asked. Val peeked around the corner into the garage and quickly identified six armed humans, probably Grays, and three cyborgs. They were loading unmarked crates into trucks.

"Six humans and three T-888s armed with .45 and .223 caliber weapons, respectively" Val answered as he unsung his duffel bag.

"Grays." Cameron stated.

"Grays?" John asked.

"Humans who work for Skynet." She clarified. "Traitors to humanity."

"The threat level is low. Their weapons cannot do significant damage to my endoskeleton." Val said.

"Are you sure we can stand up to that?" John asked, looking at Val. He was wondering how the hell the three of them could stop nine enemies, three of which were metal-death-machines.

"I have prepared for this possibility." Val answered him.

"It's not too late to turn back." Cameron reminded John.

"We've come this far. We have to finish it." John said.

"We'll handle it." Cameron said as she removed a M1A SOCOM from Val's bag.

"No." John said. Cameron looked at him and tilted her head.

"I'm going with you." John reached down and removed a Colt AR-15 form the bag.

"John.." Cameron started but John interrupted her.

"Cameron, I need to do this. I can't sit back and let everyone else do the fighting for me." Cameron would rather John stay where it is safe but she knew that he was right. General Connor often led from the front. He was John Conner, it's what he did. What he does. That did not mean that Cameron had to like it, however.

"And the Grays?" Cameron asked.

"They work for Skynet." John let out a breath. "They chose their side."

"Concentrate on the Grays', Val will handle the T-Triple eights." Cameron said coolly. "Stay behind me." John looked at her for a moment, wondering what caused the change in her tone.

"Trust me." Val said with a smile as he reached into his duffel bag and lofted out an M35 grenade launcher and .50 Beowulf AR-15.

Val was first out of cover, one weapon in each hand. The Gray's and Terminators responded quickly to the unwelcome armed-guests and unleashed a hail storm of fire at Val. The Five-Five Six NATO and .45 ACP rounds bounced harmlessly off of his hyper-alloy frame. He opened fire on the T-888's with his Beowulf, the .50 cal rounds slamming into the terminators with amazing force, shredding the skin and smashing their hyper-alloy frames.

John was resting his back against the wall, his palms sweaty as he gripped his Colt AR-15A3 tightly. Flipping the selector to semi, he went over his training in his mind. He cast a quick glance at Cameron, her face set in stone, ready for the battle.

Cameron turned to John. He was perspiring heavily and leaning against the wall. His pulse was elevated and his eyes dilated. His body was releasing adrenaline for the coming fight. She chambered a round into her M1A SOCOM, and smiled reassuringly at John. She didn't like his decision, but any animosity between them could put John in even more danger. He was John Connor, she had to trust him.

To say John was nervous would be an understatement. His mother had trained him for this since he was just a boy, but training never really prepares you for the real thing. He looked at Cameron again, this time she offered him one of her reassuring smiles. Taking one last deep breath to steady himself, John spoke. "Let's do this."

Cameron followed Val out of cover delaying for just a moment. She opened up on the grays. The 7.62mm NATO round offered exceptional stopping power against the human targets. One grey found this out the hard way as his head exploded into pulp. Another as his heart was obliterated by the 150 grain projectile.

John was last, following Cameron, who was doing her best to keep herself between the return fire and himself. Time seemed to slow down as he raised his rifle and aimed at one of the Grays, the muzzle flashes of his compatriots briefly reminding John of camera flashes at a concert or sports game. He pulled the trigger twice. One round hit center mass, the other struck the Grey in the thigh. The lightweight high-velocity round deflecting off the man's femur and entering his stomach. Blood started to spray wildly from the man's leg as he fell.

A hit to the femoral artery.

Lethal.

John turned to the next Grey and fired two more times. The "hammer-pair" hit center mass. The tumbling effect of the rounds liquefying his insides, killing the man instantly. He turned to the left to take aim at another Grey and saw the muzzle flash of the man's UMP submachine gun. He felt a punch to the chest, all the air knocked from his lungs. Suddenly he found himself crashing to the floor and everything went dark.

Val raised his other arm and quickly fired off all the rounds in his M-35. His aim was almost perfect, of the six HE rounds in his MGL, 4 found the two T-888's in the garage. Two rounds each. They were nothing but twisted metal and burnt pseudo-flesh when the smoke cleared.

The third Triple-eight managed to evade the grenades, which splattered an unlucky Grey who happened to be too close to the explosion.

Val scanned the room, locating the damaged T-888, he was out of ammo so he charged the machine. The two metal warriors collided with incredible force. If a terminator could register surprise the Triple-eight didn't show it as it struggled against the superior T-895. Val managed to snap one of the terminators arms off at the elbow. The T-888 proving to be no mach for him as he forced it to the ground and pinned it there with one knee. It struggled vainly with it's remaining arm until Val jammed it's severed forearm into it's neck and twisted, severing the power conduit to the CPU and rendering it "dead".

He stood up and scanned the rest of the room. All threats were neutralized.

The last thing John remembered was a darkness and a beautiful voice calling his name. This must be what it's like to die and go to heaven, John thought. As the darkness faded to light and finally clarity, John looked up to see Cameron hovering above him, an expression of worry on her perfect face.

"Are you an angel?" John asked.

"John, are you ok?" Cameron knelt down and ran her hands over John's chest, checking for wounds. She lifted his shirt and found two small impact marks on the concealable vest he wore, where the .45 rounds failed to penetrate SAPI plate in his body armor. Other than some bruising John would be fine.

"I'm ok." John answered, regaining his composure. "It hurt like a bitch but they didn't penetrate." He said, looking down at the impacts. "I don't know what knocked me down though."

"That wound have been me." Cameron answered apologetically. "I had to get you out of the line of fire." Cameron offered him her hand.

"Thanks." John said taking her hand and smiling sheepishly. Cameron helped John to his feet and pulled him into a kiss so fast that he wasn't sure what was happening. She released him and they looked into each others eyes.

Val calmly walked back to where John and Cameron were standing.

"Area secure." Val stated.

"Let's go" Cameron said to John.

The trio continued into the complex. Cameron walked over to the crates the Grays had been loading and ripped the top off of one.

"John…"

"What is it?" John asked, as he walked to her. John peered into the crate and found that it contained several plastic boxes marked to contain electronically sensitive devices. He picked up one of the boxes and opened it. Inside was a very primitive looking neural-net processor, larger and less advanced than any terminators, but a neural-net processor none-the-less.

"They are producing them already?" John asked incredulously, wincing slightly from his sore ribs.

"It would seem so." Cameron answered.

"Why? What would they use them for in this time?"

"I don't know. It is likely that Skynet is stockpiling resources for the war. These are very similar to the CPU's used in early Hunter-Killer models. Perhaps it intends to incorporate them in modern day UAV's." Cameron speculated.

"In order to do that wouldn't Skynet have to be operational?" John's brow raised in confusion.

"Not necessarily, it could simply be sending terminators back to do this for it."

"I don't like it. No offence, but this seems too big to be just a couple of terminators."

"None taken." Val answered from behind John.

"We know Kaliba was buying. Do we know where they were shipping these?"

"Here." Val answered as he handing John a clipboard he pulled from the truck.

"Ok, let's get back to the house." John looked at Cameron. "We need to find this address, then we take a closer look at this Kaliba Group." John said, noticing a glint of metal on her cheek bone and the many bullet holes that riddled her torso. "And get you patched up." He finished.

"What about the CPU's?" Cameron asked.

"Val, can you make them disappear? and the Triple-eights?" John said, placing one of the CPU's in his pocket.

"Yes. I can 'make them disappear'. I will return to the safe house when I'm finished."

"See you there." John answered as he and Cameron set off towards the Jeep.

* * *

John and Cameron climbed into the Jeep, Cameron at the wheel. John had been absolutely silent on the walk back to the jeep. They sat in silence for several more moments before Cameron spoke.

"You're quiet." Cameron observed. John glanced at her.

"I just feel kinda sick." John answered looking down at his feet. Cameron placed her hand on his forehead and conducted a scan.

"You're not ill." She stated. John gently removed her hand.

"I killed two men today." John said as he placed his hand near the center console. Cameron looked at it for a moment before realizing it was an invitation and placed her hand in his.

"It was them or you." Cameron told him. "They chose to work for Skynet. They chose their side." She echoed his words from earlier.

"I've gone my whole life thinking that the machines are the killers, the bad guys. Look at me now. How am I any different?"

"You feel something for what you've done." Cameron said causing John to look up at her.

"Machines don't feel. We don't care." She continued. "That's what makes you different."

"You're not a simple machine, Cameron. You care. You're different." John corrected

"About you. Yes." She squeezed his hand to emphasize her point. They sat in silence for a moment.

"This isn't going to be easy, is it?"

"War is not easy, John."

"Sometimes, I don't think I'm cut out for this, leading humanity to victory." John said with a scoff.

"You are. You will." Cameron's voice was firm, resolute.

"How can you be sure?" He asked.

"I have faith in you." Cameron answered. John was taken aback for a moment by her answer. Faith; a belief in something even without logical proof. Something a machine shouldn't be able to express, yet Cameron was capable of that and so much more. Again, John realized just how special she truly was.

"Mom is going to be pissed when she finds out about this." John stated.

"Yes, she will be pissed." Cameron agreed.

"I think she might actually kill me this time." John said, only half joking.

"I'll protect you." Cameron smiled.

**

* * *

**

Connor Safe House

Derek Reese sat in the basement alone. With only an old lamp on, the basement was barley lit. A half eaten plate of Lasagna, a dirty old rag, and a bottle of CLP sat on the table Derek was using. A faint brushing sound was all that could be heard.

He looked over his work thoroughly before putting a few more drops of CLP on the toothbrush and scrubbing away. After a few moments of this he set the M82 receiver down on the table.

Standing up, he walked to the corner and picked up an old green ammo can. Walking it over to the table, he set it down and dusted off the lid. The yellow lettering on the can read "CAL .50 MK211 MOD 0". He opened the can and reached inside.

He pulled out a .50 BMG round and held up, watching the light reflect off the brass body.

"Hello Raufoss."

* * *

I hope this chapter was as much for you guys as it was for me to write. I will try to have Ch 11, 12, and 13 posted after Christmas before I leave for Deployment.

Thanks for reading.


	11. Chapter 11 Unknown Variables

**2027 Resistance controlled Serrano Point. **

The tunnels under Serrano Point shook violently, dust and dirt drifting down from the ceiling in the dim light. The battle outside was fierce, Skynet had launched a massive offensive to retake the complex. The real struggle, however, was deep within the bowels of the facility. On a scale far smaller than the battle above.

The sound of heavy foot falls echoed through the halls.

"Lieutenant Clark, this is Romero-One. Do you have the area locked down?" Val said as he ran through the winding halls of the complex, a choirs of alarms and distant explosions could be heard in the background.

"Negative! We're still dealing with a few infiltrators. The intruders also sealed the entrance to the TDE, we're trying to override now. " Clark responded over the radio.

"How long?" Val rounded a corner, almost running into a group of resistance soldiers. One soldier raised his rifle in surprise at seeing the terminator, but quickly recognized him as part of Conner's elite task force and backed up to the wall to let him pass.

"Maybe two minutes." Replied the Lieutenant. "Wait one." He said, Val could still hear him talking over the radio, the occasional plasma rife discharge could also be heard. "What? How long until it's charged…ok." "Romero-One we have a situation. The TDE has already been activated and is recharging. Sixty seconds until it fires again."

"Rodger that." Val replied as he came up on the TDE's main entrance. LT. Clark, Romero-Two, and a small team of four Resistance special forces soldiers waited at the entrance. A Technician was working on the door controls, on the left side of the door, furiously trying to override the lock. Val nodded at the other Commando, LT. Clark looked at Val.

"General Connor is not going to be happy about THIS." He said, referring to the delicate situation they now faced.

"I know." Val replied.

"Ten seconds and the door's open." The technician said.

"On me." Val said as he pointed to Romero-Two. The two Commandos stacked up on the right side of the door. "We'll go in fist." he said looking at the resistance soldiers. "Move in when we give the command."

"The TDE is charged." LT. Clark said.

"Three…two…one…Doors opening!' The technician called out as the large steel door started to rise open, the groan of metal echoing loudly.

"Move!" Val and Romero-Two rushed into the room, followed closely by the resistance fire team. Encountering three Skynet T-888 infiltrators. Val fired on one of the infiltrators with his Westinghouse M95 Plasma rifle. The superheated plasma burned through the hyper alloy-combat chassis, finding little resistance. The second Triple-Eight fired on the team. It wounded one of the soldiers and hit Romero-Two in the arm and chest, knocking out his weapon hand. The remaining three soldiers opened up on the machine. Val turned and put the third one down with a double-tap to the chip.

"Get him out of here." Val told the resistance soldiers. Two of whom grabbed their wounded teammate and dragged him back out behind the doorway. The third providing security for them.

"Damage report." Val said as he sighted his rifle at the TDE platform.

"Minimal." His teammate replied, picking up a plasma rifle with his other hand.

Val aimed his rifle at the lone figure on the TDE platform, he scanned the target. It was a terminator of unknown chassis design.

The TDE platform began to spark and crackle with energy. Val opened up with his plasma rifle on fully automatic. The rifle's muzzle flashed brightly, a dazzling and deadly array of purple light danced through the air.

He was too late.

As the rounds closed on their target, the intruder was enveloped and suddenly disappeared in a wave of crackling blue energy and lightning. The plasma bolts hitting nothing but the empty chamber.

Val hit the Push-to-talk button on his radio.

"Inform General Connor that they made it through the TDE." Val said.

**Connor Safe house**

Derek peered through the scope mounted on his .50 Cal M82. He watched as a Jeep pulled up their drive and slowed to a stop. It remained there for several minutes before a brown haired girl got out of the drivers side, followed by a teenage boy in the passenger seat.

He watched the two embrace before they started walking towards the house.

"Damnit…" Derek mumbled under his breath.

The girl paused, looking towards the tree line where he was laying. She turned to the boy and said something. He paused for a moment before smiling and heading into the house without her.

She started walking towards Derek's hiding spot. He centered the scope on her head, going over the process in his mind.

Relax.

Breath in.

Exhale.

Natural respiratory pause.

Slow steady squeeze… Let the shot surprise you…

The Jeep rolled to a stop at the house. Now John had to explain to his mother what happened and how he almost got shot. He was not excited.

"She is going to kill me." John lamented.

"We've already been over this. Sarah will not kill you. Freak out, yes. Ground you…yes." Cameron smiled.

"You're enjoying this way too much." John pouted.

"If Sarah is going to kill anyone, it will be me. Lets go." Cameron said, opening the door to the Jeep. John got out after her. He walked to her side and turned to her.

"I just want you to know, if I don't make it…I love you." He smiled, Cameron smiled back. John pulled her into a hug and continued towards the house. He stopped to look back and noticed Cameron had stopped walking with him and was staring off into nothing.

Cameron turned around and scanned the tree line, Something was wrong. She didn't know what or how she knew, but something just didn't ….feel right.

"You alright?" John asked.

"Go on, I'll be right in." She said smiling at him. John looked at her quizzically before returning the smile and heading inside.

Cameron walked towards the tree line, un-holstering her Heckler & Koch USP Compact. the only sound was the soft crunching of gravel under her feet. She heard a rustling in the bushes and raised her pistol, ready to fire. A figure emerged from the bush, carrying a rather large rifle. As it approached she identified it as Derek Reese. Cameron tilted her head.

"It's you." She stated. "What are you doing?" She asked, wary of the resistance fighter. While he was a good fighter and added security for John, he was unpredictable.

"Sending a message." Derek said, lowering his rifle. "All I had to do was squeeze and you would be dead. Terminated. Does that Compute?" Derek sneered.

"Then why didn't you?" Cameron asked, replacing her pistol into it's holster.

"Because…" Derek nodded towards the house. "Sarah is right, and John is more important to me than you. You've won for now." Derek huffed. "You may have everyone else fooled but not me. The first excuse you give me, the moment you step out of line. I'll do it." Derek turned to walk away.

"I'm not a threat to John." Cameron called out as Derek walked towards the garage.

"The jury's still out on that." Derek replied. Cameron watched him enter the garage. She turned back to the tree line, staring into the forest for a moment, a small frown settling on her delicate features. She turned and walked slowly back to the house.

"Mom, calm down" John insisted.

"Damnit John, I told you to be careful." Sarah argued.

"We were careful." John argued.

"Careful? You call running in guns blazing, against three Triple-eights and a room full of 'Grays' Careful?" She ran her hand through her hair. "Who's idea was it to go in there? Val's? Cameron's?" Sarah asked.

"It was my call." John answered. "Cameron tried to stop me but I insisted." John crossed his arms. Sarah rubbed her temple with her hand.

"Tell me that you at least found something?" She relented.

"Oh, it's worse than we thought." John said, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out the credit card sized Neural-net processor and tossed it onto the bed next to his mother. Sarah stared at the chip, not speaking. Her face was unreadable, she finally picked it up and turned it over in her hands.

"That's not all." John said, causing Sarah's eyes to snap to him. "They were shipping crates of these, maybe a couple of hundred." John finished.

"Where are the rest of these now?" Sarah asked deadly serious.

"Val's destroying them, the T-888's also." John answered. Sarah sighed and put the CPU on the bedside table.

"No more missions. Things are getting too dangerous, there are too many unknowns, we need to step back and regroup." She stated.

"You mean we run?" John asked.

"Regroup." Sarah clarified. "You're on house arrest until we know exactly what we're dealing with." She looked at her son. "You do research, that's it. Cameron stays with you. Derek and the machine do the recon."

"Mom.." John started.

"This is non-negotiable, John. You might be a General someday, but right now we can't risk this. No more stunts like last night. I'm sure Cameron would back me up on this one." Sarah finished. John laughed.

"It's funny, I never really though you and Cameron would agree on very much ." John said.

"Believe me, you're not the only one." Sarah replied, they both laughed.

Cameron walked into John's room to find him laying on his bed listening to his I-pod. John looked up as she entered.

"Hey." He smiled, pulling out his ear buds. Cameron walked over to the bed and sat down.

"Hello." Cameron replied.

"I take it you talked with Mom?" John asked her.

"Yes. Your mother feels that it's best if you remain in the house."

"And you agree with her?" John asked.

"Yes." Cameron stated simply. John huffed and leaned his head back on the pillow.

" I feel trapped. I can't believe I have to sit here while Derek and Val get to go out."

"You don't like spending time with me?" Cameron asked, dejected. John sat up, dismayed.

"What?… No… I mean, yes…Cam-"

"I'm joking, John." Cameron smirked, a mischievous glint in her eyes. John sat there for a moment processing her words. He smiled.

"Well look at you, still developing that sense of humor, I see" John teased her. Cameron beamed at him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

John regarded her for a moment before he scooted off of the bed and walked to his desk. Cameron watched him silently as he shuffled through a drawer, eventually removing a first aid kit. He turned and walked back to the bed, taking a seat next to Cameron.

"What are you doing?" Cameron asked him, tilting her head to the side. John smiled at her, he thought it was irresistibly cute when she did that.

"You're shot." John stated. Cameron looked down at her bullet riddled clothes, looking back up at John she smiled.

"Thank you for explaining." John laid the first aid kit on the bed, he also had a pair of pliers for removing the bullets. He looked Cameron over, most of the bullets were in her torso with just a few in the arms.

"I'm going to need you to remove you're top." John said nervously. Cameron responded by pulling her shirt off and dumping it unceremoniously on the ground. She knew what kind of effect her body had on John so she decide to leave her bra on, for John's benefit. John set about removing the slugs.

"What does it feel like?" John asked. "To get shot, I mean. You said you could feel tactical sensation." John elaborated.

"I can feel pain." Cameron said, causing John's eyes to widen in fear. He instantly stopped what he was doing. "Don't worry, I don't feel pain the same way you do." Cameron assured him.

"What do you mean?" John asked.

"My body informs me of the damage, but it doesn't effect me the way it would a human." Cameron smiled. Cameron noticed how delicately John continued with his work, even though he knew that it wouldn't really hurt her. After he removed the last of the bullets John started to apply bandages to the wounds. This process was quicker and he finished in only a minute or two. Cameron smiled at John as they sat there together.

"Thank you." She leaned in and kissed him. The kiss grew with passion as Cameron wrapped her arms around John's neck. Running his hands up her bare flanks, he was acutely aware of just how soft and smooth her skin was. He broke the kiss before he lost all control. Leaning his forehead against hers, he was breathing heavily.

"Thank you for always being there for me." John replied.

John, Cameron, Derek and Val were gathered in the kitchen. Derek was leaning against the counter, Val standing by the table. John and Cameron were by the doorway.

"This is it" John said, holding up sheet of paper. "The only connection we have to this Kaliba Group."

"This shipping address." Val stated.

"I looked them up online. They are like ghosts, they keep a low profile and don't leave much of a trail. They consist a bunch of smaller companies, that they bough out." John said. "My guess it that Skynet is using these companies as a front, operation through them, like it did with Virtue Corp." John finished.

"So, what are we going to do." Derek said .

"I need you and Val to go to this address, it's where the chips were being moved to. Just see what you can see. Recon only, no hard contact." John replied.

Derek took the paper from John and looked over it's contents.

"Hmmm…a port?…They are shipping them overseas?" Derek asked.

"It's safe to assume that Skynet is also accumulating assets in Europe and Asia." Cameron stated, Derek raised an eyebrow at her.

"She's right." John said, sharing a look with Cameron. "Kaliba is international, they own companies in the Americas, Japan, Europe, Russia, China, almost everywhere that's industrialized." John said.

"When are we leaving?" Derek asked, eyeing the piece of paper.

"An hour ago." John said. Derek looked up at him in surprise, then glanced at Cameron. Finally, he turned to Val.

"Are you ready, toaster?" He asked with obvious disdain.

"I'm always ready." Val answered.

Derek was driving the Dodge truck with Val in the passenger seat. They were heading to the address on the clipboard. Driving through an old industrial district that lead to the docks. The ride was absolutely silent. With neither party particularly caring for the company of the other. Derek glanced in the rear view mirror, and saw a white van following them. The same van had been following them for a while.

"You see that van?" Derek asked Val. "It's been tailing us for a while." Derek said.

"Approximately three point four miles." Val elaborated, having noticed the van before Derek.

"Are they metal?" Derek asked, glancing back into the mirror.

"Unknown." Val stated. Suddenly there was a loud pop! The sound of the trucks back tire blowing out. Derek swerved, and slowed the truck to a stop. Looking in the mirror he saw that the van had stopped about fifty meters behind them. Val hefted his Beowulf, pulling back on the charging handle to chamber a round. He turned to Derek.

"I'll check it out, replace the tire with the spare." Val said as he got out of the truck.

"Yes sir." Derek replied sarcastically. "Didn't know I was taking orders from metal." he got out and walked to the back of the truck, lowering the tailgate. He turned and watched as Val approached the van for a moment, then returned to his search for the spare tire.

Val walked towards the van, as he got up beside it he noticed that the front was empty, no driver or passenger. He continued walking around the side, towards the back. As Val walked he found himself being attacked from behind and grappling another terminator. He managed to slam the terminator into the back of the van and shoulder throw it onto the street.

He scanned the attacker the results displayed on his HUD.

:SCANNING…

:UNKNOWN MODEL DETECTED

Val tilted his head.

"I know you." Val stated.

"I know you too." The other machine answered, climbing to it's feet. It had a clear size advantage over Val, being even larger than the old T-800's.

Val raised his rifle to fire but this Terminator was faster than any T-8xx series he had previously encountered. The other Terminator closed the gap between them and wrestled the rifle away from him. Val struggled to gain the upper hand but this model was superior even to his own. Val could only guess that this machine was biased off the new T-900 series.

Derek jerked his head around after hearing the gunshots, he saw Val engaging a terminator. Rushing back to the bed of the truck, he pulled out a large pelican box. Opening the box up as quickly as he could he removed the M85 sniper rifle that it contained.

As he sighted through the scope, Derek saw Val struggling with the terminator. Then a second terminator stepped out of the van. Derek lined up a shot and fired. The .50 Cal Mk211 round hit the target in the torso, all but cutting it in half. There was very little left of the upper body but ground meat.

_Ooops, not Metal then._

Derek took aim at the actual terminator as it was bearing down on Val, who was now laying on the ground on his back. He fired.

The round hit the machine in the right arm, causing it too look up in what could only be called anger. Derek was shocked to see that the Raufoss round had done very little damage to the machine. The Terminator looked at Val briefly before taking off in a dead sprint. It was too fast for Derek to draw a bead on, it escaped. Derek lowered his rifle and cursed to himself.

Val walked up to Derek, who was now standing by the door of the truck.

"What the hell was that?" Derek asked.

"I don't know." Val lied. "We should return to the house. I believe the others may be in grave danger."

**2027**

**Resistance controlled Serrano Point, Command room.**

**Two hours after the battle.**

General Conner stood at the table in the command room, resting both of his hands on the table to support himself. General Perry and the Commandos from Romero and Alpha squads also gathered around the table. A petite, brunet, female also stood in the room, watching silently from the background.

"What's our response timeframe?" John asked.

"Tech's say anywhere from one week to several months." General Perry answered. "You know how unpredictable this stuff can be."

"Do we know what his target was?" General Connor asked, looking from Perry to Val.

"Unknown." Val stated.

"What about the others?"

"Also unknown." Val answered again.

"Sir, we don't know the targets." Perry answered. "We do have a date. They jumped back to the year 2008, the exact date unknown."

"Do we know why this happened?" John looked up at Val and the rest of Romero.

"Sir, I don't know." Val answered. "The chassis were new, however. Some kind of advanced prototype." He added.

"How advanced are we talking? A little extra armor or onboard weaponry?" General Connor asked, looking back down at the table top.

"It's hard to know for certain. Skynet knows that you will respond to this. I would assume it will be advanced enough to defeat any standard ground unit." Val answered.

_Which means Cameron will be in serious trouble. John thought._

"_So, we're going to need upgrades." John said. "900's are going to be tough to get…"_

"_Latest Intelligence reports state that Skynet is producing stop-gap upgrades for all field T-800 though T-888 series terminators." One of the Alpha squad terminators, TC-219, Jachin, said. "They are storing a large number of these units here" The terminator pointed to a grid square on the map resting on the table._

"_Val, you're team just got a new mission." John looked up at the terminator. Val nodded silently._

"_I know that place." The petite female suddenly spoke up, her head turning slightly to it's side. John turned to look at her._

"_You know it?" John asked her._

"_Yes." She answered simply, looking at the map. She locked her eyes to his. "It's where I was built." _

_

* * *

_Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all enjoyed this Ch. I have Ch12 and 13 started, but they are still far from done.


	12. Chapter 12 War Games

"How did you convince your mother to let you leave the house?" Cameron asked as they drove down the road in the Jeep, John behind the wheel. John had gotten permission from Sarah to make a supply run, since Derek and Val would be gone for the day.

"I don't really know." John answered. "Maybe it's the painkillers?" John reasoned, Cameron thought on this for a moment before answering.

"It is probably the painkillers." Cameron concurred. "Sarah would not normally approve of us spending time together alone." John didn't reply to that, he really didn't know what to say. Cameron was right; he just didn't want her to worry about his mother accepting them. He knew it bothered her on some level, even if she would never admit to it.

John pulled the Jeep into a parking spot outside of the Super Wal-Mart. Oh God. John thought to himself. Wal-Mart trips were never something to look forward too, but they were running out of supplies so it had to be done. Cameron walked beside him as they entered. Her head was on a swivel, as she constantly scanned the crowd of people for any possible threat.

"You can relax a little; it's just Wal-Mart." John said Cameron ignored him continuing to scan for threats. "I'll tell you what…How about we split up?" Cameron snapped her eyes to his. John continued. "You can get the food, since you always complain about my choice in snacks. I'll go grab clothing and toiletries." John said to her.

"You have the shopping list." Cameron pointed out.

"Yes, and you have a perfect memory." Cameron pouted slightly at having been beat at the logic game, a rare occurrence.

"You shouldn't be alone, it's not safe." Cameron argued.

"Cameron, do you trust me?" John asked. "Everything will be fine, ok?" Cameron regarded him for a long moment, seemingly arguing with herself about whether she should let him go alone.

"I trust you." She finally answered.

"Ok, good." John smiled widely; she could tell he was up to something she just didn't know what…yet. "I'll meet you back at the truck in an hour?"

"One hour." Cameron repeated as John walked away from her. Cameron watched him leave until he was out of her visual range. She then turned and began walking towards the foods.

Cameron had made quick work of selecting food while still managing to select foods that would provide a well-balanced diet for John's development. While the food was ultimately for everyone in the household, John's nutrition was paramount. She pushed the cart out into the parking lot, a good thirty-five minutes early. She had planned to deposit the food into the Jeep and then track John down in the Wall Mart. Surprisingly John was waiting in the Jeep when she got there.

"You're early." Cameron stated.

"So are you." John smiled. "I figured it would take you less than an hour. Ready to head out?" Cameron eyed John suspiciously as he started to load the grocery bags into the back.

"Yes." Cameron answer as she helped John with the bags, she noticed he had already loaded several bags of clothing and other items Cameron could not identify.

"We better be getting back, I'm sure mom is worried sick." John said as he shut the back hatch.

* * *

_We're sorry the number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable_. "Shit!" Derek yelled as he slammed his cell phone into the dash. "Useless piece of crap…" Val slowly turned his head to look at Derek as he drove.

"Breaking the phone won't help." Val stated. Derek shot him a scornful look as he leaned over to look at the speedometer.

"Can't you drive any faster?" Derek asked.

"This is the vehicles maximum speed." Val stated. Derek huffed and sat back in the seat.

"Let's hope it's fast enough."

* * *

Sweat beaded and rolled down John's forehead. He eyed the world map at the table. The small blue pieces on the map represented his forces, the human resistance, and the opposing red pieces represented the forces of the machines. The odds were stacked heavily against him as he was hopelessly outnumbered. He was grimly determined to fight to the bitter end. He was John Connor; he was born to beat the odds. He was born to fight.

"I wish to attack Eastern Australia from Western Australia." Cameron calmly stated as she picked up the three red "attack" dice. Cameron and John sat in the living room huddled around the coffee table deeply engrossed in a game of Risk. John sat on the couch, several empty soda cans and two cold slices of frozen pizza sat next to him. Cameron sat in a chair across from him; a half full can of Coke on her side of the table. She held the dice in one hand, while the other rested on her lap.

Apparently, John had thought it would be a good idea to buy a board game while he was at the store with Cameron. He insisted that she should play it with him, and that it would be a quality way for them to pass the time together. Cameron did not fully understand the point of this as she could think of far better ways to pass time…ways that John seemed to be resisting, although she could not fathom why. She agreed to play, however, for John's happiness.

John wiped the sweat off his forehead as he assessed the situation. He occupied only a single territory, two humble blue pieces were all that remained of his once mighty army. Cameron's armies, on the other hand, marched all over the face of the earth. She was a force to be reckoned with when it came to rolling dice.

"I can do this." John reassured himself as the released the two black dice from his hand. They landed on the table and rolled to a stop, two fives. "HA! Beat that!" John sat back and folded his arms across his chest, satisfied with himself. Cameron regarded John with her blank, scary robot, stare. John gulped, wishing he wouldn't have just provoked a Terminator. Cameron raised her hand and released the dice with precision only a machine could achieve, they landed on the table and rolled to a stop.

"Terminated" Cameron said, observing the three sixes that she rolled. She looked up at John, a resigned expression on his face. "I win." She informed him triumphantly.

John picked up his last pieces and frowned slightly at them. "Sorry guys." He tossed 'em back into the box. "So much for the leadership of the 'Great John Connor'" John said with a laugh.

"You're strategy was sound." Cameron eyed him coolly.

"Strategy doesn't matter too much when I lose almost every single roll..." John huffed. "…cheater." He accused.

"I did not cheat; I simply have more control at rolling the dice than you." Cameron smiled.

"ToMAYto, ToMAHto" John said. Cameron tilted her head to the expression. "Never mind…" Cameron suddenly looked towards the door at the sound of a vehicle pulling up. John was interrupted by his phone vibrating on the table once, and then stopping. John picked up the phone and checked it. No missed calls, no signal.

"Hey Cam, Is your phone working?" John asked.

"I haven't' used it today…" Cameron reached into her pocket to retrieve her phone.

The living room window suddenly shattered as a small metal canister landed and rolled to a stop on the floor. Cameron shot out of her seat and stepped in front of John.

"John, get out now!" Cameron turned back to him, as he was staring at the object wide eyed. The canister suddenly started to pour smoke out of it. John's eyes started to burn and his throat felt like it was on fire. Cameron quickly grabbed John by the shoulder and pulled him into the kitchen. Taking her jacket off, she put it up over John's mouth.

"Hold this to your mouth. Try to take small breaths." Someone had launched CS gas into their house. Cameron walked back into the living room when the door burst open, an armed man wearing a gas mask stepped into the house. He raised his rifle at Cameron, hesitating for a moment at the sight of what appeared to be a teenage girl unaffected by the gas. Cameron pulled out her pistol with inhuman speed and fired two rounds at the man's chest; he stumbled back but didn't go down. Cameron fired a third at his head, this time he did go down. A second man came barreling though the door, this man had no gasmask, no expression, and cold lifeless eyes… a machine. Cameron started to fire but the terminator simply ignored the rounds, walking towards her.

* * *

Sarah awoke to a crash downstairs followed by several gunshots. She struggled to wake and shook her head, still groggy from the painkillers she climbed out of bed, ignoring the dull ache in her thigh, she was focused solely on her son's protection. She quickly opened her closet door and pulled out a Remington 870 shotgun, loaded with twelve gauge Depleted Uranium slugs. She paused to look out the window and spotted a white van parked outside. The same kind that was at Virtue Crop, she noticed. Sarah pumped the shotgun and headed into the hallway. She walked with her gun at the ready, checking the corners as she started to descend the stairs. She moved as fast as she could on her bad leg.

* * *

Cameron was pinned against the wall by the larger machine, luckily; she managed to force the power line into the terminator, forcing it to shut down for one-hundred and twenty seconds. She grabbed her pistol and ran into the kitchen looking for John.

"We need to leave! NOW!" she told him, as she practically dragged him out the back door. John didn't argue and let Cameron guide him outside. Cameron rushed them over to the Jeep, opening the door she let John get in first.

"What about mom? We can't just leave her." John asked, worried about his mother.

"I'll get her." Cameron looked him in the eyes. "You need to leave." Cameron buckled the seatbelt around him.

"Cameron, I can't leave you. I won't-" John started to argue but was cut off by the sound of gunshots. Cameron forced John down as the bullets tore through the Jeeps windshield. She covered him with her body.

A lone Gray rushed out of the back doorway to the house; he took aim and fired his M4 at the Jeep. The weapon clicked dry, he hit the magazine release, dropping the magazine from the rifle while at the same time reaching into his vest to retrieve a fresh one. Cameron raised her pistol with her free hand and fired once through the shattered windshield. The Gray dropped his weapon and fell over, his hands coming up to clutch at his throat. He rolled on the ground, gurgling, blood rushing from his neck. Cameron fired one more time, killing the man. She was not built to be cruel.

Cameron stood up and turned back to John, "John." Cameron pulled him up into the seat and into a quick kiss. "GO!" She slammed the door on him, and turned to march towards the house. John resigned to listen to Cameron, putting the Jeep into reverse and peeling out of the gravel driveway and onto the road. John set off as fast as he could in the Jeep. He needed to find his uncle and Val.

* * *

As Sarah reached the bottom stairs she saw a man lying on the ground, dead. The man, whoever he was, had a bullet hole in his head and two in his chest. She saw another body, a man, lying on the ground motionless. Sarah walked over to the body. Looking it over, there were no signs of gunshot wounds. Suddenly his eyes shot open and he pulled himself up. Sarah aimed her shotgun at the man's head and fired. The force of the shot threw his head back, but he didn't go down. He turned to Sarah, the chrome skull now exposed. The twelve gauge slug damaged the eye of the triple eight but didn't have enough momentum to penetrate to the CPU.

Sarah racked the slide and fired again. Her shot was off and hit the machine in its shoulder; it continued its march forward. She franticly racked the slide but the terminator batted the shotgun away. Grabbing Sarah by the throat he lifted her into the air. She struggled vainly against its vice-like grip when she heard gunshots, and was suddenly cast into the wall.

* * *

John fumbled with his cell phone; hoping to get through to Derek, it was still dead…or jammed. "Damn!" he gripped the steering wheel tightly trying to banish the thoughts of what might happen to Cameron…to his mother, who already had an injured leg and was on painkillers. As John sped down the road he could see a vehicle approaching in the distance. It appeared to be Derek and Val in the truck. He slammed on the breaks and brought the Jeep to a screeching halt in the middle of the road. Hopping out of the Jeep onto the road he flagged down the approaching vehicle and was greeted by his uncle's concerned stare from the passenger's seat.

"John, what happened?" Derek said as he rolled down the window.

"They attacked the house; Mom and Cameron are in trouble." John climbed into the back seat.

"How many?...John! How many?" Derek asked.

"I don't know, more than one. I didn't see them." Derek looked at Val, who nodded.

"Let's go."

* * *

Cameron walked through the entrance into the living room when she saw Sarah being lifted by the Triple-Eight. She raised her pistol and fired, hitting the terminator in the chest and head. It did no damage to the machine, but it drew its attention away from Sarah. The machine threw her aside, registering Cameron as the greater threat. The terminator advanced on its new target. Cameron charged the Triple-Eight, grappling and shoving it into a wall; she picked up Sarah's shotgun and took aim. Firing, she hit the Terminator in the head. The DU slug passed through the already weakened eye socket and cracked the terminator's chip, rendering it disabled. Suddenly Cameron was peppered by automatic fire, her HUD flashing warnings that the rounds were causing moderate damage to her chassis. She ignored the damage warning and turned, firing a shot at the intruder. The slug blew a hole in the man's torso, right below his plate carrier, killing him.

"There it is!" She heard another man say. "Take it down! " She turned to see two more Grays, entering from the kitchen. She racked the slide on her shotgun as one of the Grays fired the weapon under-slung on his M4. Two small metal prongs embedded in Cameron's skin, sending thousands of volts of electricity cascading through her body. Cameron dropped the shotgun, falling to the floor, and watched as her world slowly shut down. The second Gray advanced on her with his combat knife drawn.

Her last thought was that she had failed John...then everything went black.

* * *

Derek walked through the living room with his pistol drawn, John following close behind him. The house looked like a small war had broken out inside. Which was probably not far from the truth, Derek mused. There was broken glass, bits of drywall, and splintered wood everywhere on the floor. The walls were covered with bullet holes of various sizes and blood splatter. There were also two dead bodies and one deactivated T-Triple-Eight in the room. Derek knelt down and examined one of the dead Grays.

"CAMERON!" John called out, there was no response. "MOM!...CAM!" Still nothing. The house was empty, they were gone.

Val entered the room, approaching Derek and John.

"There is no sign of Cameron or your mother." Val said, looking at John. John looked away and punched the wall, anger, fear, and most of all guilt building up inside him.

"Where the hell are they? John asked, mostly to himself. "They haven't called. Cameron would have called me; she would want to know I'm safe." _Damnit Cam why did you tell me to leave?_

"This may not be an entirely bad sign." Val stated.

"Not bad?" John asked, enraged. "My mother is gone! Cameron is gone!" _I never should have left them._

"He's right, John." Derek said. "There are no bodies, meaning; wherever they are at least they left here alive." Derek looked back down at the Gray.

"That's interesting" Derek rested a his arm across his knee, rubbing his chin with his hand as if in deep thought.

"What is it?" John asked. Derek regarded the dead man for a moment before responding.

"These are not your average Grays." Derek said, glancing up at his nephew.

"What does that mean?" John asked him, wondering what the difference was. As far as John was concerned a traitor was a traitor.

"Look at the clothing. Look at the equipment." Derek said, gesturing to the body. The dead Gray was armed with a 6.8 SPC chambered M4 CQBR variant with various attachments; a flashlight, a holographic sight, and a weapon mounted Taser. He was wearing tan BDU pants, mid-cut hiking boots, a gray jacket, and a kaki plate carrier with a plethora of pouches attached. A black gas mask concealed the man's face, covering everything except for his now lifeless eyes.

"That's some pretty high-profile gear. Most Grays are either techs or interrogators, not muscle, that's what Terminators are used for. They don't have a lot of combat experience themselves. "He continued. Derek grabbed the man's arm and pulled his sleeve up, checking for a barcode tattoo, standard for anyone from the future who had been processed by Skynet. "No bar code..." Derek rolled the man's arm and noticed a design on the skin, partially covered by his jacket sleeve. He hiked it up more to reveal the tattoo, '_Semper Fidelis'_

"Mercenaries." Derek said, letting go of the arm.

"Skynet is hiring Mercs? Why?" John asked.

"Kaliba is hiring, I guess they don't have enough metal to go around, look at this." He pulled a round out of one of the Gray's magazines.

"What's so special about it?" John asked, eyeing the 6.8mm SPC projectile.

"Six-point-eight, AP" Derek said turning the cartridge around in his hand as he examined it. "Armor-Piercing...these guys were expecting armored resistance." Derek gestured to the Taser mounted to the underside of the M4 and the white-phosphorous grenades clipped to his vest. "This is a 'metal-hunting' team."

John gave Derek a confused look before comprehension finally spread across his face, hitting him like a freight train. He looked towards the other dead Mercenary, who was equipped and dressed similarly.

"They were hunting…Cameron." John nearly whispered. His blood ran cold. These men had not come for him; they were there for one reason. They had come to capture or kill Cameron. They had come to take Cameron away, to take her away from him.

"Either her or the other one." Derek said, referring to Val. "Either way, they knew they would be up against metal." Derek thumbed the round back into the magazine and placed the whole mag in his jacket pocket. "We need to move out before anyone else gets here." he stated.

"We need to find my mother and Cameron." John said

"We will, John, but right now we need to move, this place is no longer safe. Grab what you can and let's go." Derek removed the rest of the magazines from the dead Mercenary's pouches and then unhooked the M4 from its sling. Val looked at John and nodded his head.

"We should salvage as much as we can." Val said as he headed up stairs to clean out the weapon stash.

"I need to get my laptop." John said, looking towards his uncle. "Mom and Cameron might still have their cell phones on them. We can track them with that."

_I will find you Mom, Cam. I will find you both._

* * *

Sarah woke up with a hood over her head; her mouth taped shut, her wrists and ankles were bound. She could hear the dull hum of the vehicles engine as they drove. Hitting a bump in the road, she was tossed about. She didn't know who the men at the house were, but they had taken her and they worked with metal. They must have been these so called "Grays" Cameron had spoken of.

She only hoped that Cameron had managed to get John to safety.

* * *

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed the new Chapter! I'm very sorry about the long wait. I was out of town for a while.


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